Google announces new storage policies and will delete your data if breached

Google has announced a new storage policies for all of its Accounts using Gmail, Google Drive (including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard files) and or Google Photos.

In an email sent to its users last night, Google says the new policies bring it in line with industry practices.

The new policies that will go into effect on June 1, 2021 stipulates that if a user is inactive for two years in Gmail, Drive or Photos, Google may delete the content in the products in which the user is inactive. It however, explains that Google One members who are within their storage quota and in good-standing will not be impacted by this new inactive policy.

“If you exceed your storage limit for two years, we may delete your content across Gmail, Drive and Photos,” the company said.

Google further states that users won’t be impacted by these changes unless they’ve been inactive or over their storage limit for two years.

“As this policy goes into effect June 1, 2021, the earliest it would be enforced is June 1, 2023,” it noted.

It adds that after June 1, 2021, if a user is either inactive or over their storage limit, they will send the user email reminders and notifications in advance and prior to deleting any content.

Users of Google Workspace, G Suite for Education and G Suite for Nonprofits policies are not changing at this time, it added.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi