If you haven't logged into your Google acct in over 2 years, it will be deleted | Hacker News Reader

If you haven't logged into your Google acct in over 2 years, it will be deleted

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21 pointskeyboardJones10 comments

Step 1) look for dead people Step 2) wait for two years Step 3) sign up with their gmail Step 4) realize all their data is wiped but all those other accounts linked to this don’t know Step 5) try reset password for twitter, Facebook, GitHub, every bank, etc etc using email Step 6) wreak havoc pretending to be dead person

Seems like a security risk to delete. Their excuse that old accounts are more likely to have weak passwords is silly since google never expires passwords. Seems like from a security standpoint, you would keep the account forever but just disable it.

They are deleting data associated with the account, but are they still maintaining the address that was registered to the account?

I doubt they are allowing people to sign up with the deleted accounts email address, I was in this exact scenario years back and wasn’t able to sign up again using my deleted account name

Then they aren’t deleting all information associated with the account if they know it existed. I wonder how much data they retain or if it is precisely only that the account name once existed.

It is actually very difficult to reset password for some accounts. Many services would send verification code to registered email account. I have lost access to my gmail account for 7 months, I was only able to reset a few passwords. epicgames wouldn't allow me to change my registered email, nintendo doesn't allow me to change my registered email.

This is awesome. Already seeing forums asking for death announcements/obituaries and connected email addresses for the person. Looks like there is going to be a lot of family and friends receiving messages that their loved ones wanted to let you know that "X" is dead and we just wanted to let you know. Feel free to send condolences to "Y address."

Seems like Hotmail all over.

I had a corporate Google domain wiped out this way!

This was a Google Workspace account tied to a domain (back when it was called GSuite). Google sent warning emails, which Google classified as spam. Google than wiped all all information we had there.

Naturally, there was no recourse, or even means to speak to a human being.

That's funny, I haven't used a personal google account in at least that many years. Thanks I guess?

I like a lot of Google products, can't wait until the day they decide to give a shit about people.

I fear it is heading in the other direction. early days they gave a lot of shits about people. Now, I dont even know what google is anymore.

fucking hell google. login doesnt mean value. I have accounts that have value to me, but I dont check them all the time.

Does this affect dead YouTube accounts as well?

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