DATASCIENTISTASSOC

Google to delete inactive accounts, policy effective from June 1, 2021

[{"selector":"#anim-a8de45b2-e889-4228-b7b0-65ef4e4f271f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-812a053b-32ef-4064-ae09-920a51935e6e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.252286471605455%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Accounts that have not been used for at least two years will be deleted

[{"selector":"#anim-e7440989-9d36-4db9-b647-275e25476659","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c4dbc17-d492-426a-b572-74ac4e3ed8ba [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.248266984181942%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Google will start deleting inactive accounts in December 2023 at the earliest and take a phased approach

[{"selector":"#anim-f310dd12-aded-4c38-a54e-e18228ba8473","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9bc28e63-7789-437a-bfea-bbca4c13ac50 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.056451497954512%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Google plans to send multiple warning notifications to users before deleting inactive accounts

[{"selector":"#anim-b2a3d5e6-3dc4-4527-8576-70a8f4dd3a59","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b51e0c76-3bf9-4be3-83e7-9d54b36bfcc1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The first accounts to be deleted will be those that were created and then never revisited by the user

[{"selector":"#anim-6a6cfae7-6749-43ae-8747-9030b1e80f61","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a860fed-bb10-499b-89da-58ed96b48318 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.252286471605455%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The policy only impacts personal accounts, leaving organizations like schools and businesses untouched

[{"selector":"#anim-a770f6e4-5e20-4406-84a7-16e03b304e32","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5706f426-a0c4-4775-99e6-f1ef611bb100 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.52362792453066%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Users with an inactive account will see those accounts being deleted starting in December 2023

[{"selector":"#anim-4449c12f-e8d7-4180-ab89-57746cfbafc5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e5f0d64-8164-45d7-98c6-5ec6c984757f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.238691080366998%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Google recommends signing in at least once every two years to keep a Google account active

[{"selector":"#anim-317cddca-c5a5-4435-b239-a12c3aebe581","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f2d1c9b-8cdb-47f6-b13d-8c7637150bde [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.17499990397451%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Deleted accounts would wipe out data across Gmail, Google Drive and Docs, Google Photos, Google Calendar, and YouTube

[{"selector":"#anim-ae2a7ce0-50e9-48b8-aef7-961ba2bc4a1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a39f136-d994-4bfc-b898-e775921105a8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]