Google has over 1.8 billion users worldwide but recently discovered that a number of them have been inactive. Considering this, the company has just decided that it would start deleting inactive photos and Gmails from next week, December 1st, 2023. Although this idea has been in view since May, a decision has been reached and Google has given valid reasons for this new development. 

Why Google's Decision? 

According to Google, most of these Google accounts have been inactive for 2years or more and there is every possibility for them to have been compromised already. If an account hasn’t been used for an extended period, 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, and have not had two-factor authentication; Ruth Kricheli, Google's VP of product management states in a blog post she wrote. 

Furthermore, she explained that based on their internal analysis, abandoned accounts are significantly less likely by at least ten times to have a 2-step verification setup compared to active accounts. This makes these accounts susceptible, and if compromised, they can be utilized for various purposes, ranging from identity theft to becoming a channel for unwanted or potentially malicious content, such as spam. 

How will the Gmail Deletion work?

Google hasn't provided specific numbers regarding the number of inactive accounts, but given the vast user base, there's a possibility of the company supporting a significant amount of unused storage space for these inactive accounts.

The company says that it will wipe off all the content associated with the account - photos, videos, and documents and this is only applicable to users whose Google accounts have been dormant for 2 years or more. 

Per Google, the deletions will not happen once. Instead, it is going to happen in phases, one after the other but accounts that were created and never used will be the first to go down the drain. 

Google will not just get to work, it will send warning messages to all its users before the time the deletions happen and will also tell them what they need to know or do. 

Want to keep your account? 

If you need to keep your account, then you must perform an activity on your Gmail. It could be as simple as sending email messages to people or even signing into any app using "the Gmail account" in question. Performing an activity before the deletion date proposed by Google annuls the dormancy of your account. 

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