Google to Begin Purging Data from Inactive Accounts
Google has announced that it will start deleting data from inactive Google accounts beginning on December 1st. This includes content within Google Workspace and Google Photos belonging to accounts that haven’t been used or signed into for at least 2 years.
To keep your account active, all you need to do is log into it at least once every two years. Alternately, you can read an email, watch a YouTube video, or use Google search while logged into your account.
The decision to delete data from inactive accounts is driven by security concerns. Abandoned accounts are more susceptible to being compromised since they are ten times more likely to lack 2-step verification.
It’s worth noting that Google will not delete any YouTube videos, despite initial confusion due to poor communication by the company. The purge specifically targets Gmail data, photos, and content within Google Workspace.
Google’s policy change has faced criticism, with some likening the deletion of old accounts with YouTube or Blogger content to “burning the commons.” However, Google maintains that the purge is necessary for security reasons.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the fate of accounts belonging to deceased individuals. While Google does provide a way for users to request access to accounts of their deceased loved ones, it advises users to proactively make plans through its inactive account manager.
A recent study by University of Oxford researchers predicts that dead accounts could outnumber the living on Facebook by 2070, highlighting the growing importance of digital legacy planning.
