Google to Initiate Deletion of Dormant Accounts: A Critical Update
In an important policy shift, Google is set to start deleting inactive accounts in its Gmail, Photos, and Drive services beginning next week. This change impacts personal Google accounts that have not been used for at least two years. The move signifies a major revision in Google’s policy regarding account inactivity.
The Extent of the Update and User Worries
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Millions of accounts worldwide are potentially at risk of being permanently removed under this new policy. A particular concern is for those accounts created by parents to document and share their young children’s milestones, which may be affected. Google has already started issuing alerts to users who might be impacted, with the policy scheduled to take effect in December 2023.
Google’s Updated Inactivity Policy
Ruth Kricheli, the Vice President of Product Management at Google, explained in a May blog post the rationale behind this decision. She highlighted the update as a measure to align Google’s inactivity policy with standard industry practices regarding account retention and data deletion. The policy also aims to reduce the duration for which Google retains unutilized personal data.
Focus on Enhanced Security
The primary objective of this update is to safeguard active Google account users from threats like phishing and unauthorized account access. Inactive accounts are often more vulnerable to security breaches, especially if they use passwords that may have been exposed in past security incidents. Google has committed to sending several notifications to the users of at-risk accounts, including alerts to any connected recovery email addresses.
Potential Impact on Users
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The implications of this policy are significant, as losing access to a Gmail account could affect the ability to use other online services and platforms linked to that email.
How to Prevent Account Deletion
Google suggests simple activities to keep an account active and safe from deletion. These include sending or opening an email, using Google Drive, downloading from the Google Play Store, or conducting a Google Search while logged in. Accounts with YouTube content are exempt from this policy, regardless of their activity status.
Google’s Stance and Transparency
To date, Google has not provided specific numbers regarding how many accounts are likely to be impacted by this change, nor have they made any further comments in response to inquiries about the policy.
This policy update from Google underscores the importance of regular account activity and reflects a broader shift toward proactive data management and security in the digital age.