In a big push to clamp down against online security threats and improve digital safety, Google will be deleting inactive Gmail accounts. The multi-billion technology giant has invested in technology and the tools to protect their users from security threats, like spam, phishing scams and account hijacking. One of the ways they have identified to reduce the risk of attack is by deleting outdated accounts.
The longer an account is inactive the increased likelihood of a security breach. Accounts are more susceptible to being compromised due to older accounts using reused passwords. Frequently used accounts are advised to change their password every 3 months to something secure and memorable. Idle accounts will have kept the same password for an extended period of time and therefore are vulnerable to attack.
Google states "Abandoned accounts are at least 10x less likely than active accounts to have 2-step verification". 2 Factor authentication (2FA) is an authentication mechanism to double-check legitimacy when logging into your accounts. Systems will send you a text message or email to a different device or account to ensure it is you trying to access your account.
In an attempt to improve security, Google has changed their inactivity policy. Accounts that have been inactive for more than 2 years will be automatically deleted. Any Gmail accounts that have not accessed any content within Google Workspace ie. Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar or Photos will be automatically deleted to reduce the risk of compromising the account. It's important to note any content associated with this account will also be removed.
The inactivity policy was updated on the 16th of May, 2023 however, deletions will not take place until later this year (December 2023). To avoid accidentally deleting accounts Google is rolling out this change slowly and with plenty of notice. They will have a phased approach by removing Gmail accounts that were created and used once. Google will also send multiple reminders leading up to the deletion to minimise any mishaps.
This may seem scary but DO NOT panic! There is a simple way to avoid this happening to you, use your account at least once every 2 years. There are various ways to keep your account active:
Read or send an email.
Use Google search whilst being logged into your account.
Download an app from the Google Play Store.
Use Google Drive.
Watch a YouTube video.
Sign in to a third-party app using your Google account.
Access Google Photos
Any subscriptions that are using a Gmail account will consider this as activity, therefore, will not be deleted. Any accounts associated with YouTube will also receive no impact based on this policy change at the moment.
For more information about how to keep your account active here is the original article by Google. If you need help securing your accounts get in contact with our team.