Google to Delete Inactive Accounts After 2 Years

Google announced today that it will begin deleting accounts that have been inactive for two years or more. The company said the move is being made to help protect users’ privacy and security.

“We want to make sure that our users’ data is safe and secure,” said Ruth Kricheli, Google’s vice president of product management. “By deleting inactive accounts, we can help to prevent them from being used for malicious purposes.”

Accounts that are deleted will be wiped clean, including all emails, photos, documents, and other data. Users will have the opportunity to recover their data before it is deleted, but only if they log in to their account before the deadline.

Google said it will begin sending out warnings to inactive users in the coming months. The first accounts to be deleted will be those that were created and then never used. Accounts that have been used at least once in the past two years will be spared for now.

Google’s new policy is similar to those of other tech giants, such as Facebook and Twitter. Both of those companies also delete accounts that have been inactive for extended periods of time.

If you have an inactive Google account, you can log in to it now to prevent it from being deleted. You can also export your data so that you can save it elsewhere. To export your data, go to the Google Account settings page and click on “Download, delete, or make a plan for your data.” Then, click on “Download your data.”

Google’s new policy is a reminder that it is important to use your accounts regularly. If you have an account that you don’t use very often, it is a good idea to log in to it every few months to keep it active.