Is Google deleting Gmail accounts? What to know
Released: September 11, 2024, at 4:57 PM.
Google is removing Gmail accounts. MassLive
According to Forbes, Google is following through on a commitment it made last year to remove unused Gmail accounts.
Last May, the major tech firm revealed its intention to begin a widespread removal of unnecessary and overlooked features used by millions. Reports from several sources indicate that Google is now making progress on this initiative.
Google has stated that the initiative to remove inactive accounts is part of their plan to ensure a safe and secure online environment for users.
In a recent blog post, Google mentioned that accounts that have been inactive for a long time are at a higher risk of being hacked.
Google explained that neglected or forgotten accounts typically depend on outdated or reused passwords that could be at risk of being hacked. These accounts often lack two-factor authentication and don't undergo as many security checks by their users.
Research indicates that inactive accounts are ten times more likely to have two-step verification enabled compared to accounts that are frequently used. This makes these abandoned accounts more susceptible to security breaches. Once compromised, they can be exploited for various malicious activities, such as identity theft or spreading spam, as noted by Google.
A writer for Forbes shared that they received an email from Google at the end of January. The email stated that an account they hadn't accessed in eight months would be deleted on September 20, and all its associated content in Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Docs would also be removed.
Although the contributor expressed that they are "totally fine with Google doing this," with over 300 billion emails being processed each day and close to 2 billion users, not everyone may feel the same way.
There are various methods to keep your Google account from being disabled.
In a recent blog post, Google mentioned that the easiest method to ensure your Google Account remains active is to log in at least once every two years.
You can avoid account deletion by engaging in various activities such as reading or sending an email, utilizing Google Drive, watching videos on YouTube, downloading apps from the Google Play Store, conducting searches with Google, and using the "sign in with Google" option to log into other apps or services.
In its first statement, the company mentioned that it would implement a gradual process, beginning with accounts that were created but have remained inactive since then.
Prior to erasing an account, Google will issue several alerts to both the account marked for deletion and any recovery email linked to it, if one exists, in the months leading up to the process, according to the company's announcement.
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