Google to start deleting inactive Gmail accounts December 1st

Google is scheduled to delete troves of inactive Gmail accounts as a cybersecurity initiative that goes into effect on Dec. 1.

Any account that has not been touched for two years could be eradicated, including a user’s Google Workspace apps like Drive, Docs and Photos.

The reason: older accounts can be susceptible to hacks “because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven’t had two-factor authentication set up and receive fewer security checks by the user,” Product Management Vice President Ruth Kricheli wrote in a May blog post for the online titan, adding that the company has “invested in technology and tools to protect our users from security threats, like spam, phishing scams and account hijacking,”

The updated policy impacts only personal accounts and will provide immunity for school or business ones, according to Kricheli, who announced the move in May.