Google to Start Deleting Inactive Gmail Accounts from This Week

Jakarta – The United States tech giant, Google to delete inactive account for the past two years. This includes all associated data such as emails, Drive files, Photos, and Contacts. The plan will start from December 1, 2023. 

The decision to delete these accounts is due to the increased risk of cyberattacks on older accounts.

Based on Google's internal data, inactive accounts are significantly less likely to have two-factor authentification enabled in comparison to active accounts. 

This absence of security measures exposes older accounts to a higher risk of hacking attempts. 

Additionally, any external services associated with an inactive Gmail account are also vulnerable to compromise. In order to address these concerns and safeguard user data, Google has made the decision to delete accounts that have remained dormant for a period of two years.

Not all dormant accounts will be erased right away. Google will initiate the removal of accounts gradually, commencing in December 2023, in small groups. 

This step-by-step method gives users the opportunity to revive their accounts if they still want to use them.

Once an account is deleted, all linked data will be permanently erased, including emails, Drive files, documents, meetings, and any other files. This procedure is irreversible, and users will not be able to retrieve their data.

To ensure the preservation of their accounts, users can conveniently log in to their Gmail accounts at least once every two years. 

This minimal engagement will effectively maintain the activity of their accounts and safeguard them from deletion.

It should be emphasized that Google has no intention of removing inactive accounts that have YouTube videos at present. 

This implies that if an old, unusued account is connected to YouTube and has a public video, Google will not delete the account even if it's inactive. 

Nevertheless, the company may revise this policy in the future.  

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