Use it or Lose It: Google Says it Will Delete Inactive Accounts

Google has announced its plans to delete inactive accounts that have been dormant for at least two years, as part of an effort to mitigate security risks.

While the updated policy is effective immediately, the actual deletion process will not commence until December. Prior to deleting the accounts, Google intends to send multiple warning notifications to users and execute the purge in phases.

The first wave of deletions will target accounts that were created but never accessed by the user. It’s important to note that this policy will solely affect personal accounts, with organizations such as schools and businesses remaining unaffected.

Google’s decision is motivated by internal findings indicating that older accounts are more prone to relying on recycled passwords and outdated security measures, such as the absence of two-step verification.

Consequently, these accounts are at higher risk of falling victim to phishing attacks, hacking attempts, and spam.

This move represents an extension of Google’s previous policy, established in 2020, which focused on wiping content from unused services without deleting the accounts themselves.

To safeguard your account from deletion, simply log in to your Google account or any Google service and engage in any activity, such as reading an email, watching a video, or conducting a search. Taking these small steps will ensure the preservation of your Google account.