diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
index f1a78d8..b900693 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
@@ -507,12 +507,12 @@ li .byline a {
 	color: #888;
 	text-decoration: none;
 }
-.new_user,
+span.new_user, a.new_user,
 li .byline a.new_user {
 	color: green;
 }
-.banned_user,
-li .byline a.banned_user {
+span.inactive_user, a.inactive_user,
+li .byline a.inactive_user {
 	color: gray;
 	text-decoration: line-through;
 }
diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 05e7f6d..ee9be60 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   def authenticate_user
     if session[:u] &&
     (user = User.where(:session_token => session[:u].to_s).first) &&
-    !user.is_banned?
+    user.is_active?
       @user = user
       Rails.logger.info "  Logged in as user #{@user.id} (#{@user.username})"
     end
diff --git a/app/controllers/login_controller.rb b/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
index ec793e4..f604cde 100644
--- a/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class LoginController < ApplicationController
       user = User.where(:username => params[:email]).first
     end
 
-    if user && !user.is_banned? &&
+    if user && user.is_active? &&
     user.try(:authenticate, params[:password].to_s)
       session[:u] = user.session_token
       return redirect_to "/"
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class LoginController < ApplicationController
       # this will get reset upon save
       @reset_user.session_token = nil
 
-      if @reset_user.save && !@reset_user.is_banned?
+      if @reset_user.save && @reset_user.is_active?
         session[:u] = @reset_user.session_token
         return redirect_to "/"
       end
diff --git a/app/controllers/settings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/settings_controller.rb
index 36ced71..dffa335 100644
--- a/app/controllers/settings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/settings_controller.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@ class SettingsController < ApplicationController
     @edit_user = @user.dup
   end
 
+  def delete_account
+    if @user.try(:authenticate, params[:user][:password].to_s)
+      @user.delete!
+      reset_session
+      flash[:success] = "Your account has been deleted."
+      return redirect_to "/"
+    end
+
+    flash[:error] = "Your password could not be verified."
+    return redirect_to settings_url
+  end
+
   def update
     @edit_user = @user.clone
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb b/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb
index c28eb65..7943e22 100644
--- a/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ class StoriesController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :require_logged_in_user_or_400,
     :only => [ :upvote, :downvote, :unvote, :preview ]
 
-  before_filter :require_logged_in_user, :only => [ :delete, :create, :edit,
+  before_filter :require_logged_in_user, :only => [ :destroy, :create, :edit,
     :fetch_url_title, :new ]
 
-  before_filter :find_user_story, :only => [ :destroy, :edit, :undelete, :update ]
+  before_filter :find_user_story, :only => [ :destroy, :edit, :undelete,
+    :update ]
 
   def create
     @title = "Submit Story"
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 2ee3af6..a1d6253 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     :class_name => "User"
   belongs_to :banned_by_user,
     :class_name => "User"
+  has_many :invitations
 
   has_secure_password
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   attr_accessible :username, :email, :password, :password_confirmation,
     :about, :email_replies, :pushover_replies, :pushover_user_key,
     :pushover_device, :email_messages, :pushover_messages, :email_mentions,
-    :pushover_mentions, :mailing_list_enabled
+    :pushover_mentions, :mailing_list_enabled, :delete_me
 
   before_save :check_session_token
   before_validation :on => :create do
@@ -80,10 +81,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     self.banned_by_user_id = banner.id
     self.banned_reason = reason
 
-    self.session_token = nil
-    self.check_session_token
-
-    self.save!
+    self.delete!
 
     BanNotification.notify(self, banner, reason)
 
@@ -124,6 +122,29 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     Keystore.value_for("user:#{self.id}:comments_posted").to_i
   end
 
+  def delete!
+    User.transaction do
+      self.comments.each{|c| c.delete_for_user(self) }
+
+      self.sent_messages.each do |m|
+        m.deleted_by_author = true
+        m.save
+      end
+      self.received_messages.each do |m|
+        m.deleted_by_recipient = true
+        m.save
+      end
+
+      self.invitations.destroy_all
+
+      self.session_token = nil
+      self.check_session_token
+
+      self.deleted_at = Time.now
+      self.save!
+    end
+  end
+
   def initiate_password_reset_for_ip(ip)
     self.password_reset_token = Utils.random_str(40)
     self.save!
@@ -131,6 +152,10 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     PasswordReset.password_reset_link(self, ip).deliver
   end
 
+  def is_active?
+    !(deleted_at? || is_banned?)
+  end
+
   def is_banned?
     banned_at?
   end
diff --git a/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb b/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
index 5fec451..b02ecf7 100644
--- a/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ class="comment <%= comment.current_vote ? (comment.current_vote[:vote] == 1 ?
         just now
       <% else %>
         <a href="/u/<%= comment.user.username %>"
-        <% if comment.user.is_banned? %>
-          class="banned_user"
+        <% if !comment.user.is_active? %>
+          class="inactive_user"
         <% elsif comment.user.is_new? %>
           class="new_user"
         <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/settings/index.html.erb b/app/views/settings/index.html.erb
index d011893..b0a9234 100644
--- a/app/views/settings/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/settings/index.html.erb
@@ -165,6 +165,32 @@
   <br>
   <br>
 
+  <%= form_for @edit_user, :url => delete_account_url, :method => :post do |f| %>
+    <div class="legend">
+      Delete Account
+    </div>
+
+    <p>
+    To permanently delete your account, verify your current password below.
+    Your account will be put into a deleted state, your comments will be marked
+    as deleted and no longer readable by any other users, and your private
+    messages will be deleted.  Your submitted stories will not be deleted.
+    Your username will remain reserved and will not be available to use on any
+    other account.
+    </p>
+
+    <div class="boxline">
+      <%= f.label :password, "Verify Password:", :class => "required" %>
+      <%= f.password_field :password, :size => 40, :autocomplete => "off" %>
+    </div>
+
+    <br>
+    <%= f.submit "Yes, Delete My Account" %>
+  <% end %>
+
+  <br>
+  <br>
+
   <a name="invite"></a>
   <div class="legend">
     Invite a New User
diff --git a/app/views/users/show.html.erb b/app/views/users/show.html.erb
index 9f8aff1..ba1fdf0 100644
--- a/app/views/users/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/show.html.erb
@@ -1,19 +1,31 @@
 <div class="box wide">
   <div class="legend">
-    <%= @showing_user.username %>
+    <% if !@showing_user.is_active? %>
+      <span class="inactive_user">
+    <% elsif @showing_user.is_new? %>
+      <span class="new_user">
+    <% else %>
+      <span>
+    <% end %>
+      <%= @showing_user.username %>
+    </span>
     <% if @user %>
       (<a href="/messages?to=<%= @showing_user.username %>">Send a Message</a>)
     <% end %>
   </div>
 
-  <div id="gravatar">
-    <img src="<%= @showing_user.avatar_url %>">
-  </div>
+  <% if @showing_user.is_active? %>
+    <div id="gravatar">
+      <img src="<%= @showing_user.avatar_url %>">
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
 
   <label class="required">Status:</label>
   <span class="d"
   <%= @showing_user.is_banned? ? raw("style=\"color: red;\"") : "" %>>
     <% if @showing_user.is_banned? %>
+      Banned
+    <% elsif !@showing_user.is_active? %>
       Inactive
     <% else %>
       Active
@@ -47,6 +59,14 @@
     <br>
   <% end %>
 
+  <% if @showing_user.deleted_at? %>
+    <label class="required">Left:</label>
+    <span class="d">
+      <%= raw(time_ago_in_words_label(@showing_user.deleted_at)) %> ago
+    </span>
+    <br>
+  <% end %>
+
   <label class="required">Karma:</label>
   <span class="d">
     <%= @showing_user.karma %>, averaging <%=
@@ -75,13 +95,15 @@
   </span>
   <br>
 
-  <label class="required">About:</label>
+  <% if @showing_user.is_active? %>
+    <label class="required">About:</label>
 
-  <div id="user_about" class="shorten_first_p">
-    <% if @showing_user.about.present? %>
-      <%= raw @showing_user.linkified_about %>
-    <% else %>
-      <span class="na">A mystery...</span>
-    <% end %>
-  </div>
+    <div id="user_about" class="shorten_first_p">
+      <% if @showing_user.about.present? %>
+        <%= raw @showing_user.linkified_about %>
+      <% else %>
+        <span class="na">A mystery...</span>
+      <% end %>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
 </div>
diff --git a/app/views/users/tree.html.erb b/app/views/users/tree.html.erb
index 214e01f..e4ca2ed 100644
--- a/app/views/users/tree.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/tree.html.erb
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
       <% if (user = subtree.pop) %>
         <li>
           <a href="/u/<%= user.username %>"
-            <% if user.is_banned? %>
-              class="banned_user"
+            <% if !user.is_active? %>
+              class="inactive_user"
             <% elsif user.is_new? %>
               class="new_user"
             <% end %>
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 6a1f0d8..6882860 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ Lobsters::Application.routes.draw do
 
   get "/settings" => "settings#index"
   post "/settings" => "settings#update"
+  post "/settings/delete_account" => "settings#delete_account",
+    :as => "delete_account"
 
   get "/filters" => "filters#index"
   post "/filters" => "filters#update"
diff --git a/db/migrate/20140113153413_add_account_deletion.rb b/db/migrate/20140113153413_add_account_deletion.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a597200
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20140113153413_add_account_deletion.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddAccountDeletion < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    add_column :users, :deleted_at, :datetime
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 7a1e57e..4edf705 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20140112192936) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20140113153413) do
 
   create_table "comments", force: true do |t|
     t.datetime "created_at",                                                                    null: false
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20140112192936) do
     t.datetime "banned_at"
     t.integer  "banned_by_user_id"
     t.string   "banned_reason",        limit: 200
+    t.datetime "deleted_at"
   end
 
   add_index "users", ["mailing_list_enabled"], name: "mailing_list_enabled", using: :btree