US technology company Google has announced a major update - they will start deleting Gmail, Google Photos and YouTube accounts for good.
The new rules will only affect those who haven't logged into their emails or photos for two years. The new policy update aims to prevent compromised inactive accounts.
Google's Ruth Kricheli said: "This is because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven't had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user...meaning, these accounts are often vulnerable, and once an account is compromised, it can be used for anything from identity theft to a vector for unwanted or even malicious content, like spam."
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Starting December this year, if a Google Account has not been used or signed into for at least two years, Google may delete the account and its contents – including content within Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar), YouTube and Google Photos. The new policy only applies to personal Google Accounts, and "will not affect accounts for organisations like schools or businesses".
The purge is going to be rolled out "slowly and carefully, with plenty of notice". The first accounts to go would be those created and never used again. Before deleting an account, Google will send multiple notifications over the months leading up to deletion, to both the account email address and the recovery email - if one has been provided.
Google have also outlined what they consider account activity, other than the obvious sign-in at least once every two years: reading or sending an email; using Google Drive; watching a YouTube video; downloading an app on the Google Play Store; using Google Search; using Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service. Users with existing subscriptions set up through their Google Account, for example to Google One, a news publication or an app, will also not be impacted.
Google is also encouraging users to provide a recovery email at sign-up. Read the full announcement on Google's official page.
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