Google is deleting accounts that have not been used for two years, and it’s not sitting well with users.
Google has been sending out emails to its users, reminding them that starting from December 2023, it will begin deleting accounts that have been inactive for more than two years. The move has sparked backlash from some users who fear losing their data or access to services like YouTube.
Google said the new policy is intended to improve security and prevent attackers from taking over abandoned accounts. However, according to a CNBC report, some users are not convinced by this explanation and have criticised Google for being unclear, aggressive, and disingenuous.
Sabrina Meherally, CEO of Canadian design firm Pause and Effect, wrote in a post on LinkedIn that she received the email with a vague subject line, “Updating our Google Account inactivity policy.” She said she could have easily missed or deleted the email, and suggested that Google should use a banner on its search engine to alert users.
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“Old accounts are more likely to be hacked, so we will delete the accounts? Like saying if a bank is not secure we should burn all its money before a bank robber can rob it,” developer Chris Beiser wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “This article feels really disingenuous.”
Emmett Shear, co-founder and former CEO of Amazon-owned video streaming service Twitch, also voiced his concern on X about the potential loss of old YouTube videos due to the policy. Google later updated its blog post to say that it does not have plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos at this time.
Google said it will notify users multiple times before deleting their accounts and give them options to keep their accounts active or download their data. The policy does not apply to schools or businesses using Google accounts or paying subscribers for services like extra storage. The standard 15GB allotment should last three years or more for 80% of account holders, Google said in its blog post.
While Google has stated its own reasons for the deletion of inactive accounts, the actual motive may have to do with the company’s focus on efficiency amid the economic downturn. Google is one of the many companies that has laid off thousands of employees in a bid to cut down on costs. Accounts that use less than 15GB of storage are a cost for Google, and the company appears to be freeing its servers up.
If you have an inactive account you wish would rather stay put, then all it takes is one login every two years.
Source:indianexpress.com