Tag: inactive

  • Google to start deleting personal accounts inactive for 2 years this week

    Google will start deleting those personal accounts, which have been inactive for two years, from this week.

    The tech giant announced this policy in May, saying, the company will purge the content in inactive accounts within Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar), YouTube and Google Photos.

    Starting December 1, the company will begin deleting such accounts. “Google products reserve the right to delete your data when your account has not been used within that product for a 2-year period,” the company said in its Inactive Google Account Policy.

    Google

    GoogleIANS

    “December 1, 2023, is the earliest a Google Account will be deleted due to this policy,” it added. This policy only applies to users’ personal Google Account.

    The company said, “this policy doesn’t apply to any Google Account that was set up for you through your work, school, or other organisation”.

    Google when announced the policy, explained that if an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised.

    “This is because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven’t had two-factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user,” it added.

    Gmail

    GmailIANS

    In August, the tech giant sent emails to its billions of users, saying the company updating the inactivity period for a Google Account to two years across all its products and services.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Twitter planning to sell inactive usernames via online auctions

    Twitter will soon start selling usernames via online actions that have remained inactive in order to boost its revenues.

    According to The New York Times, engineers at the company are planning to organise online auctions where people can bid for usernames or Twitter handles.

    It is still unclear how much Twitter will charge for selling inactive usernames.

    “The company has discussed selling some user names through online auctions, people with knowledge of the plans said,” according to the report.

    Twitter

    TwitterIANS

    In December, Musk said in a tweet that Twitter would soon start freeing up 1.5 billion usernames.

    “Twitter will soon start freeing the name space of 1.5 billion accounts,” posted Musk.

    He said that these are “obvious account deletions with no tweets and no log in for years”.

    After acquiring Twitter for $44 billion, Musk posted that he was interested in freeing up accounts with desired usernames.

    Since Musk’s takeover, the billionaire has been aiming to boost the company’s revenue, including charging money for its $8 Blue subscription service with verification.

    twitter logo

    twitter logo

    Several advertisers have left the micro-blogging platform, as the company reduces internal revenue projections.

    Musk also said that the micro-blogging platform is working on a process to inform the users whether their tweets have been suppressed under a process known as “shadow banning” and they can appeal against the ban.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Twitter deleting 1.5 bn inactive accounts, name spaces up for grabs: Musk

    New Twitter owner Elon Musk on Friday said the company will delete and free names of 1.5 billion accounts that have been inactive for years on the platform.

    “Twitter will soon start freeing the name space of 1.5 billion accounts. These are obvious account deletions with no tweets and no login for years,” said the billionaire.

    Musk also said that the micro-blogging platform is working on a process to inform the users whether their tweets have been suppressed under a process known as “shadow banning” and they can appeal against the ban.

    Twitter

    People holding mobile phones are silhouetted against a backdrop projected with the Twitter logo in this illustration picture taken in Warsaw . REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

    He added that Twitter is also working on a software update that will show your true account status.

    “So you know clearly if you’ve been shadowbanned, the reason why and how to appeal,” he mentioned.

    Twitter has been accused of suppressing certain political speech on the platform.

    elon musk

    The “Twitter Files 2″ revealed that the micro-blogging platform, under a secret group, made controversial decisions, including “shadow banning” high-profile users without informing then CEO Jack Dorsey.

    “This secret group included the Head of Legal, Policy, and Trust (Vijaya Gadde), the Global Head of Trust & Safety (Yoel Roth), subsequent CEOs Jack Dorsey and Parag Agrawal, and others,” said Bari Weiss, Founder and Editor of The Free Press, in the new “Twitter Files.”

    Twitter had earlier denied that it did such things.

    (With inputs from IANS)