Not used your Google account for 2 years? Your data may be deleted forever

Is there a Google account or Google app you have not checked in a while? You may want to pay attention to your dormant apps and/or accounts, because otherwise Google may forever delete your data stored on the dormant platforms.

Google's account deletion policy was announced earlier this year. It will start rolling out in December. Right now, Google has started implementing the policy, meaning they are sending warning emails to users to make them aware of the new rules and their dormant accounts.

What does the policy say?

These are the conditions under which your account can be deleted:

Other than the 2-year inactivity on your Google account, inactivity on a Google product like Google Drive, Photos, etc is also subject to the data purge.

But fret not, Google will send you warning emails about your inactive accounts before the purge. You can make the accounts "active" by:

• Reading or sending an email
• Using Google Drive
• Watching a YouTube video
• Sharing a photo
• Downloading an app
• Using Google Search
• Using Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service 

Your Google account WILL NOT be considered inactive if:

• If there is an ongoing subscription on the platform
• If it has a gift card or monetary balance
• If there are active financial transactions associated with the account if the account owns a published application or game on the Google Play Store
• If it is a family account managing an active minor account 
• If it has been used to purchase a digital item
• Your account with YouTube videos is safe for the time being as it is not included in the purge. 

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Why is Google purging dormant accounts?

• Google's VP of Product Management, Ruth Kricheli in May explained that dormant Google accounts pose a security risk. 

• Usually, these accounts use old or re-used passwords that may be compromised in a leak. Most of these accounts also don't have two-factor authentication set up. 

So, perhaps log in to that Google Drive, Photos, or Gmail you created in high school if you don't want them gone. 

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