Google accounts to be deleted ‘in weeks’ if you haven’t logged in enough – see if you’re safe before deadline
GOOGLE is nearly ready to begin deleting accounts that aren’t used regularly.
The deadline to avoid the cull is now just seven weeks away.
Billions of people around the world have used Google, but many accounts are now inactive.
Google says that by deleting old accounts, it can save them from being hacked by cybercriminals.
If you haven’t used or signed in to your Google account for at least two years, it risks deletion.
You’ll lose the entire account and all of the associated content.
That means you’ll no longer have access to any of the data inside Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar and Photos.
Google has already changed the policy so that there’s a two-year usage rule.
But it delayed deletions until December 1, 2023.
That means you still have time to log in to save your account.
In a blog post, Google explained how the deletions will protect users against cybercrime.
“If an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised,” Google 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.”
Abandoned accounts are 10 times less likely to have two-factor authentication switched on, Google said.
And it warned that these “vulnerable” accounts could be hijacked by crooks for identity theft and spam.
Google won’t be deleting all inactive accounts immediately.
But it will begin a “phased approach” to deletion, beginning with accounts that were created and then never used again.
You’ll also be warned if your account is about to be scrubbed.
“Before deleting an account, we 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 said.
How to save your Google account
You’ve got a few options to save your account from being deleted.
“The simplest way to keep a Google Account active is to sign-in at least once every 2 years,” Google said.
“If you have signed into your Google Account or any of our services recently, your account is considered active and will not be deleted.”
Some ways to keep your account active include:
- Reading or sending an email
- Using Google Drive
- Watching a YouTube video
- Downloading a Google Play Store app
- Using Google Search
- Using Sign In With Google for a third-party app or service
If you have an active subscription like Google One, your account will also stay safe from deletion.
And any Google account with YouTube videos uploaded will be protected from removal.