Google to delete inactive Gmail accounts by December 1, 2023

Google has reportedly started sending warning emails to users about the "inactivity" of their accounts. This comes almost two months after Google announced the decision to remove Gmail or YouTube accounts if they have been inactive for more than two years. According to Gadgets Now, users are reminded to use their accounts to prevent them from being deleted. The report citing an email, states: "This change starts rolling out today and will apply to any Google Account that's been inactive."

Google has also updated their support page with more details. The page notes that Google reserves "the right to delete your data when your account has not been used within that product for a two-year period." According to the policy, December 1 is the earliest date a Google account will be deleted.

Google notes that it considers an account active if the user is reading or sending emails in Gmail, using Google Drive cloud storage, watching YouTube videos, sharing photos, downloading apps with the Google account from Google Play, or using Google Search. In addition, Google considers the account active if the user uses it to sign in to third-party applications or services.

Google also takes into account active subscriptions as a form of activity. For example, if a user has opted for an auto-renewing annual subscription, even if one has not actively used the account, it will be considered active and will not be affected by this policy.

The update will particularly affect users who likely created an account to reserve a particular username. Google notes: "If you changed your mind after deleting your Google account, you may be able to get it back." Users can log into their accounts to check the status of their activity. Technically, it will also activate the account.

The company also explains that its move is due to security reasons. Google notes that abandoned accounts are more likely to face security issues. If criminals access the secondary account, the primary Google account or other social media accounts may be at risk. This is because forgotten or neglected accounts often rely on old or reused passwords that may have been compromised. These accounts may not even be protected with two-factor authentication, making them more prone to hacking.