Google issues three-week warning to Gmail users
It's time to check your junk mail and mark this article as read!
If you have a Gmail account that you have been neglecting or simply forgot about, it might be time to log in and have a look around.
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Google has issued an official warning that it will soon be getting rid of unused and inactive Gmail accounts.
The company introduced a policy earlier this year that will be set into action at the start of December 2023.
This policy will ensure that millions of Gmail accounts will be permanently deleted as part of a major update for the platform.
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Accounts that have been dormant for two years or more will receive warning notifications before all emails, documents, spreadsheets, calendar appointments, photos, and videos will be deleted.
We are updating our inactivity policy for Google Accounts to two years across our products. This update aligns our policy with industry standards around retention and account deletion and also limits the amount of time Google retains your unused personal information.
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While you might think you are just losing an old email account, it is important to note that this can also prevent you from using other platforms or services connected to this email address.
The biggest reason for this policy is that it helps prevent users from being victims of hacking, phishing scams, and other security violations.
Even with these protections, if an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised. This is 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.
Here are a few easy ways you can prevent your account from being deleted:
- Open or send a mail
- Use Google Drive
- Download an app on Google Play Store
- Use Google Search while logged into the account
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Main image courtesy of iStock/EnDyk