Google recently announced that it will implement a new policy regarding inactive accounts, always with the aim of improving security and optimizing storage space. And this can endanger those that are not used regularly in Gmail. So much so, that everything indicates that the Cupertino company will begin the cleaning process this year. The new policy is very clear: old and unused accounts that have been inactive for at least two years will be deleted. As simple as that. This update affects personal Google accounts, and excludes accounts managed by businesses or schools. A curious fact regarding what we are discussing: those that have videos on YouTube will not be deleted -to preserve the historical content-. Users will be notified by Google The removal process will begin, at the earliest, in December 2023. In addition, Google plans to take a phased approach, starting with Gmail accounts that were created but never used. Something that makes all the logic in the world. To ensure users are well informed, multiple notifications will be sent to the account email address – and also to the recovery email if it exists – in the months leading up to the deletion. This means there will be plenty of time to take action or recover any important data before your accounts are permanently deleted. The motivations for this decision in Gmail The main motivation behind this change is to strengthen security. Inactive accounts, especially those with old or reused passwords, are more susceptible to being compromised. Google’s internal analysis reveals that abandoned accounts are at least ten times less likely to have 2-Step Verification enabled compared to active accounts. By deleting these inactive accounts, the North American firm seeks to mitigate the risks associated with identity theft, spam, and the spread of malicious content. Additionally, this approach helps limit the retention of unused personal information, aligning with industry standards. It’s worth mentioning that Google won’t release Gmail addresses for reuse when an account is deleted, which sets its policy apart from other services. This is how an account is considered active. And what must be done so that an account is not considered inactive? Well, what is logical: log in periodically or perform basic actions such as reading or sending emails; use Drive; watch videos on Youtube; download apps from Play Store; perform searches on Google; and it’s even worth signing in to third-party apps or services using “Sign in with Google.” Additionally, using a signed-in Android device is also considered activity, according to Google. >
