Don’t risk losing your inactive Google accounts – the deadline is approaching.
Tech giant, Google, is set to implement its updated inactive account policy on December 1, Forbes has reported. This policy, unveiled in May, will encompass accounts that have been inactive for two years and will include content within Google Workspace, such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar, and Google Photos. Note that this policy will only affect personal Google Accounts, not those belonging to organizations like schools or businesses.
According to a blog post earlier this year by Ruth Kricheli, VP of Google’s product management, the purge is intended to enhance security measures and safeguard accounts.
“If an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised. 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,” Kricheli wrote. “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.”
Deletion will be done in a phased manner, starting with accounts that were created and never used again.
Looking to keep your account active?
The most straightforward way to maintain an active account is to sign in at least once every two years. As long as you’ve signed into your Google account, it will be considered active and won’t be removed. Any activity includes signing in and:
- 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
Any existing subscriptions set up through your Google Account also count as an active account. Additionally, you’ll need to specifically sign in to Google Photos every 2 years to be considered active and ensure your photos and other content are not deleted.
See more details here.
