Google is notifying users of a forthcoming deletion of millions of Gmail accounts scheduled for next month as part of a significant platform update. This initiative will affect all individual Google accounts that have remained inactive for a minimum of two years, resulting in the permanent deletion of emails, documents, spreadsheets, calendar entries, photos, and videos.
Although introduced earlier this year, the policy is set to be implemented in December 2023. Ruth Kricheli, Google’s vice president of product management, explained in a May blog post, “We are updating our inactivity policy for Google Accounts to two years across our products.” This adjustment is intended to align with industry standards for data retention and account deletion, minimizing the duration Google retains unused personal information.
The primary objective of this move is to enhance the security of active Google users by mitigating potential threats like phishing scams and account hijacking. Dormant accounts are often targeted by hackers who exploit compromised passwords from other security breaches, available on the dark web.
Google assures that any account at risk of deletion will receive “multiple notifications” before any action is taken, including alerts to associated recovery email addresses. The company has already initiated communication with affected users, emphasizing that the measure aims “to protect your private information and prevent any unauthorized access to your account even if you’re no longer using our services.”
Losing access to a Gmail account may impact users beyond Google’s services, potentially hindering access to other online platforms and services associated with that email address. To prevent account deletion, Google advises users to perform activities such as opening or sending emails, using Google Drive, downloading an app from the Google Play Store, or conducting a Google Search while logged into the account.
It’s noteworthy that accounts with uploaded videos on YouTube will not be affected, irrespective of their last activity date.
