Google’s Countdown Begins As Dormant Users May Lose Access To Their Accounts

In a sweeping drive to counter phishing and account hijacking, Google has issued a deadline of one week to account holders as it braces up for its mass cleanup of inactive accounts on Gmail, Photos, and Drive.

Google had warned its users of the possibility of deleting their accounts in case they hadn't accessed them for more than 2 years.

This is a part of the move by Google to secure the accounts of its users that have remained dormant for over two years. This puts millions of Google accounts at risk of permanent deletion.

While Google's decision to delete the accounts appears to be an attempt to secure its users, the implications lie beyond technology.

For instance, some parents created accounts to record their family memories or milestones for their kids to view when they grow up. This decision from Google puts these users in the crosshairs.

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.Ruth Kricheli, the Vice President of Product Management at GoogleGoogle Aims To Curb Misuse Of Information By Cybercriminals

The primary objective of this move is to secure Google users against escalating cyber threats such as account hijacking and phishing. Often, hackers target dormant accounts, exploiting reused passwords that had been compromised in security breaches in the past. These passwords are readily available on the dark web.

Google also states that users won't be caught unaware of their decision since the platform will send them multiple notifications" before they proceed to the ultimatum.

Users will come across these notifications in their recovery email addresses associated with the main account. Therefore, they should get ample time to log in to their accounts and prevent them from getting deleted.

Google's email securing campaign is already underway and has been designed to take precautionary action to protect private information from unauthorized access. However, it should be noted that losing access to a Gmail account has consequences extending beyond the immediate impact. This can potentially hinder users' access to other online services and platforms linked to the email address.

What Can Users Do To Prevent Their Account From Getting Deleted?

Google has outlined the right course of action for users to prevent their accounts from deletion. They need to engage with their accounts proactively. Google says that even sending a single mail or opening Google Drive will do, as this would reflect their engagement on the platform.

Alternatively, users can download an app from the Play Store or simply search for something on Google while logging into their account. This ensures that their accounts will remain active and Google won't delete them permanently.

While the move shows Google's commitment to protect its users from potential cyber threats, its impact can be far-reaching. Users are advised to log into their inactive accounts before December 2023 to keep them functional.

The post Google's Countdown Begins As Dormant Users May Lose Access To Their Accounts appeared first on The Tech Report.