Get ready for Gmail's new change to clean up its platform. In a surprising move, Google plans to remove inactive accounts, freeing up space and ensuring a more dynamic experience for its users. But what do they mean by an account that is not active? Can you remove mine?
Gmail, one of Google's most popular email services, has revealed its plans to remove accounts that have been inactive for an extended period. This decision comes shortly after Elon Musk's announcement that Twitter will take similar steps to clean up its platform. It seems that the big tech companies are coming together in bold steps to revitalize and optimize the user experience on their platforms.
Unverified accounts
Google has released the reasons behind its decision to remove inactive accounts in Gmail, and highlights the importance of this measure in terms of security and protection. According to Google, the main objective of this action is to safeguard users against possible kidnappings and scams.
In their internal analysis, they have found that abandoned accounts are up to 10 times less likely to have two-step verification set up compared to active accounts. Two-Step Verification is an additional security measure that protects email accounts and other digital services from unauthorized access. By removing inactive accounts, Google seeks to ensure its users are better protected and promote stronger security practices across the platform.
In addition to security aspects, deleting inactive accounts also complies with Google's commitment not to retain personal data unnecessarily. With millions of accounts that have not been active for a long time, this action is expected to help optimize resources and reduce the accumulation of unused data on Gmail's servers.
It will not be immediate
Google has stated that the deletion of inactive accounts in Gmail will not take place immediately. According to the announcement, the removal process is expected to start as early as December 2023, giving users at least until that date to take action to prevent their accounts from being removed.
To ensure that users are informed and have a chance to prevent account deletion, Google has stated that it will send out multiple notifications in the months leading up to the deletion process. These notifications will be sent to both the primary account email and the associated recovery email address, if one has been provided.
It's understandable that some users may be apprehensive about this change, especially those who have used their Gmail accounts for more than just checking emails. Google accounts offer additional functionality, such as being password managers and allowing you to sign in to a wide range of services. Therefore, there may be people with one or two old accounts who would prefer that they not be deleted.
Stop me from deleting your account
For Google to consider an account active, you are required to sign in at least once every two years. Additionally, an account will be considered active if actions such as sending or checking email, accessing Google Drive, or watching YouTube videos are performed while logged in to the account.
It is important to note that, in addition to these activities, if you have active subscriptions through your Google account, such as Google One, or use third-party applications, Google will also consider your account as active. It is relevant to mention that accounts set up for organizations, such as schools or companies, will not be affected by this automatic deletion.
If you have multiple Google accounts, it is recommended that you set the most frequently used email address as the recovery address for accounts that are not used frequently. This way, if you forget to keep an account active, you'll receive prompts reminding you to use it before it's permanently deleted.