UPDATE: As of Jan 2010, Facebook has blocked Seppukoo’s API access to their website.

If Facebook has taken over your life but you can’t find a way out, an “imaginary art group” has created a new web site that can help. Seppukoo.com allows you to deactivate your Facebook account with a virtual ritual suicide befitting of a samurai warrior.

Named after seppuku, an ancient Japanese samurai ritual in which samurai would plunge a sword into their own stomachs to escape defeat by their enemies, the web site invites users to “impress your friends, disconnect yourself” and “discover what’s after your Facebook life.” By entering your Facebook user ID and password (the site says no data will be stored on its server), you can customize a memorial page that will be sent to all your Facebook friends, who will have the opportunity to leave a farewell message.

If you later decide that life is just not complete without Facebook, you can log into the site to reactivate your account.

The creators of the site, Les Liens Invisibles (which translates to “The Invisible Links”) claims the site was not started to attack Facebook, but simply to help people “rediscover the importance of being anyone, instead of pretending to be someone.” Les Liens Invisibles even has its own Facebook page.

Karen Eisenbraun is a freelance writer and is currently residing in the Kansas City Metro. She has experience in SEO, content management, website design, and green living. When not working, she enjoys rock climbing, yoga, and occasionally throwing herself out of airplanes.