Tell HN: Discrepancy in Google's Account Inactivity Policy

3 points

3 years ago

So Google sent users an email about their updated inactivity policy, and listed some exemptions:

  There are some exceptions to this policy. 
  Examples include: a Google Account with YouTube 
  channels, videos or comments; an account that has 
  a gift card with a monetary balance; or an 
  account that has a published application, for 
  example, one that hosts an app on the Google Play 
  store.

The YouTube line sounds really great, and that would be the one I'd bank on if somehow I left an account fallow for two years.

Unfortunately, it's a lie. Their published policy has no such exception: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/12418290#zippy=%2Cexceptions-to-this-policy

A few minutes on the chat with a Google One support agent was able to more or less confirm that the email's not worth the pixels it's printed on, and the published policy is the only one that matters. Will a correction be forthcoming? Don't hold your breath.