admin
Google announced on May 16, 2023 that it will begin deleting inactive Gmail and YouTube accounts in December 2023. The company said that the move is necessary to free up storage space and protect users’ privacy.
Under the new policy, any Google account that has not been used for at least two years will be eligible for deletion. This includes accounts that have not been used to sign in to any Google product, such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, or Google Photos.
Google will send multiple notifications to users before their accounts are deleted. The first notification will be sent after one year of inactivity. The second notification will be sent after two years of inactivity. If the user still does not sign in to their account after the second notification, Google will delete the account and all of its contents.
There are a few exceptions to the new policy. Google will not delete accounts that have any of the following:
- An active subscription to a Google service, such as Google One or YouTube Premium.
- A balance on a Google Play gift card.
- A YouTube video that has been viewed by at least 100 people.
Google said that it will also not delete accounts that are used for business purposes.
Here are some additional details about Google’s new policy:
- The policy will only apply to personal accounts. Business accounts will not be affected.
- Google will send multiple notifications before it deletes an account. These notifications will be sent to the account email address and the recovery email address (if one has been provided).
- Google will not delete accounts that contain YouTube videos.
- Any content that is shared with other users.
- Deleted accounts will not be made available for reuse.
The new policy has been met with mixed reactions from users. Some users have expressed concern that they will lose important data if their accounts are deleted. Others have said that they understand the need for Google to free up storage space and protect users’ privacy.
If you are concerned about your account being deleted, you can take steps to keep it active. You can sign in to your account at least once every two years. You can also use your account to sign in to Google products, such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google Drive.
If you have an old account that you no longer use, you can delete it yourself. To do this, go to the Google Account page and click on the “Delete your account” link. You will be prompted to enter your password and then you will be able to delete your account and all of its contents.
