BBC iPlayer operates under a single BBC online account that may support multiple household members through shared profiles and registered devices. The notion of a "user" therefore refers to either a recognised profile within that account or a device that has been authorised to stream content. Deregistering either entity severs its link to the primary account, though the mechanism differs slightly between profiles and hardware.
The removal process is governed by BBC online account policy rather than iPlayer-specific rules alone, because the service authenticates viewers against the parent BBC account. This means actions taken in the account dashboard affect everything tied to iPlayer, downloads, watchlists, and personalised recommendations. The TV licence attached to the account remains independent of individual user records.