Google has issued a warning to customers that it would start deleting their accounts if they weren’t in use recently.
‘If your account is considered inactive, we will send several reminder emails to both you and your recovery emails (if any have been provided) before we take any action or delete any account content. These reminder emails will go out at least 8 months before any action is taken on your account,’ said Google in an email last week.
The company has a policy of deleting inactive accounts after two years of inactivity. This means that if you don’t log in to your Google Account for two years, your account will be deleted and the associated Gmail address will no longer be available for use.
In May 2023, Google announced it would start deleting inactive accounts in December 2023.
An inactive account is one that has not been used or signed into for at least two years.
Google will send multiple notifications to users whose accounts are eligible for deletion, allowing them to log in and keep their accounts active.
The tech giant’s decision to delete inactive accounts is motivated by security concerns. Abandoned accounts are often vulnerable to attack, as they are less likely to have two-factor authentication enabled.
This means that if an attacker gains access to an inactive account, they may be able to use it to access other accounts or to spread malware.
If you have an inactive Google Account, you can take steps to keep it active by logging in at least once every two years. You can also enable two-factor authentication, which will make your account more secure.
What about accounts of deceased users?
Google confirmed that the update will apply to unclaimed accounts of deceased users as well.
The tech giant has the option of allowing immediate family members and representatives to close the account of a deceased person. In certain circumstances, content from a deceased user’s account could also be shared with them.
As a preemptive measure, you can use Google’s ‘Inactive Account Manager’ to decide what happens to your account and data when it’s inactive for up to 18 months. To set it up, go to your Inactive Account Manager page and click Start.
