TECH NEWS – The tech company doesn’t want accounts that haven’t been used in years to take up space.

Google has announced that as more and more users sign up, the company is looking to delete older, inactive accounts if they have not been used to sign in at least once in the last two years or so. According to Google, accounts that have not been updated are more vulnerable to hacking, which is even more true if 2FA (two-factor authentication, e.g., a code to enter your phone) is not activated.

Data erasure means all information and data associated with your Google Account is deleted. Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Meet, Gmail, YouTube, Google Photos – quite a few things are affected. It’s worth logging in and backing up data before the final wipe. The change only affects personal accounts, so business users are not. If your Google Account is linked to a company or school, it is not at risk in this way. In December, Google will start deleting old accounts and has already put forward some suggestions on what to do to ensure your account is not at risk.

The most sensible step is to sign in. If you don’t use your Google Account often, it’s recommended to do it once every two years to ensure you keep it. The company added that it recommends activating 2FA to increase the chances of keeping your Google Account (and not having it hijacked by someone else). If you are affected and don’t log in, Google will send you an email to the affected address or the backup email address you provided. There is nothing to do for those who use the account daily (e.g., for Gmail, YouTube).

However, YouTube’s involvement is inexplicable. What if the user died in the meantime, and what she uploaded to the site was left behind as an archive? Will the company ruthlessly delete that too? It does not seem like a very humane move. This move appears to be a way of erasing the past.

Source: WCCFTech