Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content

2026-07-02T18:49:16Z

~2026-756:

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Yahoo
|StartDate=2025-03-14
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=Yahoo Mail
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Data, Privacy
|Description=Yahoo's ToS mandates sharing email & account data with AI providers; only opt-out is deleting your account
}}
{{#seo:description=Yahoo's ToS requires sharing user email data with third-party AI providers like Microsoft Copilot. The only opt-out is account deletion.}}
'''Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content''' refers to [[Yahoo!]]'s 2025 Terms of Service update that requires users to consent to sharing their account data, including private email inbox contents, with third-party AI providers such as Microsoft Copilot & Anthropic Claude.<ref name="tos">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Terms of Service |url=https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html |website=Yahoo Legal |date=2 January 2026 |access-date=6 February 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206071021/https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html |archive-date=6 February 2026}}</ref> The only way to opt out is to close the account entirely. Users couldn't decline before the data was shared because the terms took effect upon continued use of the service.<ref name="tos" /> Yahoo's properties reach nearly 250 million monthly visitors in the United States.<ref name="yahoo-scout">{{Cite web |title=Introducing Yahoo Scout, a New AI Answer Engine |url=https://www.yahooinc.com/press/introducing-yahoo-scout-a-new-ai-answer-engine |website=Yahoo Inc. |date=27 January 2026 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

== Background ==

Yahoo was acquired by [[Apollo Global Management]] in September 2021 for $5 billion after Verizon sold 90% of its stake in the company. Verizon retained a 10% share.<ref name="apollo">{{Cite web |title=Apollo Funds Complete Acquisition of Yahoo |url=https://www.apollo.com/insights-news/pressreleases/2021/09/apollo-funds-complete-acquisition-of-yahoo-161530593 |website=Apollo Global Management |date=1 September 2021 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref><ref name="techcrunch">{{Cite web |author=Ingrid Lunden |title=Apollo completes its $5B acquisition of Verizon Media, now known as Yahoo |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/01/apollo-completes-its-5b-acquisition-of-verizon-media-now-known-as-yahoo/ |website=TechCrunch |date=1 September 2021 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> Under CEO Jim Lanzone, Yahoo has focused on its data & content assets across email, search, & finance products.<ref name="yahoo-scout" />

Yahoo has forced email scanning consent before. In June 2013, Yahoo retired Mail Classic & required all users to switch to the new Yahoo Mail, which scanned email content to display targeted advertising. Users who refused were told to download their mail via IMAP or close their accounts.<ref name="tc-2013">{{Cite web |author=Josh Constine |title=Yahoo Shuts Down Mail Classic, Forces Switch To New Version That Scans Your Emails To Target Ads |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/02/yahoo-shuts-down-mail-classic/ |website=TechCrunch |date=2 June 2013 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> The 2025 update expands the scope from in-house advertising scans to sharing inbox contents with external AI companies.

On January 27, 2026, Yahoo launched Yahoo Scout, an [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] answer engine embedded across Yahoo Mail, Search, News, Finance, Sports, & Shopping. The product uses Anthropic's Claude large language model & Microsoft Bing's grounding API, described by Yahoo as "fueled by Yahoo's unique data, content, user insights and deep search history."<ref name="yahoo-scout" />

== Terms of Service update ==

The updated ToS, dated May 15, 2025 (with a later revision on January 2, 2026), added a provision within Section 6, titled "Content in the Services, License Grant to Yahoo and Consent to Use of AI."<ref name="tos" />

Section 6 states:

<blockquote>"Some of our Services have features and functionality powered by our trusted third-party AI providers ('AI Providers'). AI-powered chat service provided by Microsoft Copilot relies on search services from Bing. By utilizing our Services, you consent to sharing data that you provide to us, or that resides within your Yahoo account, including your Yahoo Mail inbox with our AI Providers for the purpose of enhancing features within our Services made available to you."<ref name="tos" /></blockquote>

The provision covers "data that you provide to us, or that resides within your Yahoo account, including your Yahoo Mail inbox."<ref name="tos" />

=== License grant ===

Section 6(c) grants Yahoo a "worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sublicensable license" to use, reproduce, modify, prepare derivative works, & distribute user content.<ref name="tos" /> The ToS simultaneously instructs users: "You also agree not to enter sensitive personal information into any AI powered query."<ref name="tos" /> Because Yahoo's AI features automatically scan incoming email, users have no control over what sensitive information external senders transmit to them, making this restriction impossible to comply with in practice.

=== Opt-out limitations ===

No granular opt-out for AI data sharing exists. Yahoo's "About Your Choices" privacy page doesn't mention any mechanism to refuse AI processing of account data.<ref name="choices">{{Cite web |title=About Your Choices |url=https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/privacy/topics/aboutyourchoices/index.html |website=Yahoo Legal |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> Yahoo provides a toggle to turn off "AI-powered message summaries" in the mail app settings.<ref name="yahoo-ai-help" /> Disabling this toggle hides the summary display but doesn't revoke the license granted in the ToS or prevent data from being shared with the named AI providers.<ref name="tos" />

The arbitration clause in Section 14 includes a 30-day opt-out window (via email to disputes@yahooinc.com), but that window applies only to the arbitration agreement itself, not to the AI data-sharing provision.<ref name="contractsprof">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Has Released the New Terms of Service with the Most Confusing Arbitration Provision Yet! |url=https://www.contractsprofblog.com/2025/06/yahoo-has-released-the-new-terms-of-service-with-the-most-confusing-arbitration-provision-yet-1/ |website=ContractsProf Blog |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

=== Data portability barriers ===

Yahoo doesn't offer a Google Takeout equivalent for bulk email export. When users close their accounts, Yahoo deactivates them from its registration database within roughly one month, but backup copies "may remain in back-up storage for some period of time."<ref name="datastorage">{{Cite web |title=Data Storage and Anonymization |url=https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/privacy/topics/datastorage/index.html |website=Yahoo Legal |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> The Yahoo Privacy Dashboard can export data, but it produces raw JSON files with up to 30 days of processing time; these files can't be imported into standard email clients.<ref name="yahoo-download">{{Cite web |title=View and manage data associated with your account |url=https://help.yahoo.com/kb/find-download-data-sln28671.html |website=Yahoo Help |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

Users who want to download their emails via IMAP must generate app-specific passwords & configure a third-party desktop client, a process impractical for non-technical users with decades of stored correspondence.<ref name="yahoo-imap">{{Cite web |title=Generate and manage 3rd-party app passwords |url=https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN15241.html |website=Yahoo Help |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

=== Yahoo's response ===

Yahoo has framed the ToS changes as necessary to power new product features. The Yahoo Scout press release positions the tool as delivering "conversational answers" across all Yahoo properties.<ref name="yahoo-scout" /> Yahoo hasn't responded to consumer complaints about the lack of a granular opt-out.

The ToS is ambiguous about whether user data is used to train AI models or only to process queries. The provision says data is shared "for the purpose of enhancing features within our Services," but it doesn't prohibit AI providers from using the data for model training.<ref name="tos" />

== Lawsuit ==

=== ConnectID class action ===

In April 2025, ''Caplan v. Yahoo Inc.'', No. 1:25-cv-02943, was filed in the Southern District of New York alleging that Yahoo's ConnectID advertising tool tracks users via email-based identifiers across publisher domains without consent.<ref name="milberg">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Privacy Lawsuit Claims Company Secretly Collects User Data |url=https://milberg.com/news/yahoo-privacy-lawsuit/ |website=Milberg |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref><ref name="natlawreview">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo ConnectID Faces Class Action Over Email Address Tracking as Alleged Wiretap Violation |url=https://natlawreview.com/article/yahoo-connectid-faces-class-action-over-email-address-tracking-alleged-wiretap |website=National Law Review |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> The complaint alleges violations of New York consumer protection statutes & the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, along with common law claims for unjust enrichment.<ref name="milberg" /> The suit claims ConnectID tracked roughly 300 million users.<ref name="topclass">{{Cite web |title=Class action accuses Yahoo of secretly tracking millions through email-based IDs |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-accuses-yahoo-of-secretly-tracking-millions-through-email-based-ids/ |website=Top Class Actions |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

On April 15, 2025, the court consolidated the Caplan case under ''Baker v. Yahoo Inc.'', No. 1:25-cv-02797 (S.D.N.Y.).<ref name="justia-baker">{{Cite web |title=Baker v. Yahoo Inc., No. 1:2025cv02797 |url=https://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-york/nysdce/1:2025cv02797/639983 |website=Justia Dockets & Filings |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> Yahoo filed a motion to dismiss on September 26, 2025.<ref name="justia-baker" />

=== Arbitration and class action waiver ===

Section 14 of the ToS imposes a binding arbitration agreement & class action waiver on all U.S. users.<ref name="tos" /> The provision states:

<blockquote>"CLASS ACTION WAIVER FOR U.S. USERS. THESE TERMS DO NOT ALLOW CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ARBITRATIONS... ARBITRATION OR COURT PROCEEDINGS HELD UNDER THESE TERMS CANNOT BE BROUGHT, MAINTAINED OR RESOLVED ON BEHALF OF OR BY A CLASS."<ref name="tos" /></blockquote>

The ContractsProf Blog described this as "the most confusing arbitration provision yet," noting the complex batch arbitration process for 25 or more similar claims.<ref name="contractsprof" />

== CNIL enforcement (France) ==

On December 29, 2023, the French data protection authority (CNIL) fined Yahoo 10 million euros for failing to respect users' cookie consent choices & for not allowing Yahoo Mail users to freely withdraw their consent to trackers. The decision was published on January 18, 2024.<ref name="cnil">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Fined $10M by France's Data Protection Watchdog |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/yahoo-fined-10m-by-frances-data-protection-watchdog |website=Bloomberg Law |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> In both cases, Yahoo conditioned access to its email service on consent to data processing.

== Consumer response ==

Yahoo's AI features replace email subject lines with AI-generated summaries, overriding the sender's original text.<ref name="yahoo-ai-help">{{Cite web |title=Turn AI-powered message summaries on or off in New Yahoo Mail |url=https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN37077.html |website=Yahoo Help |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> In July 2025, Yahoo also reduced free mail storage from 1 TB to 20 GB, a 98% cut, with the cap enforced by August 27, 2025.<ref name="zerobounce">{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Mail Storage Shrinks from 1 TB to 20 GB: What You Need to Know |url=https://www.zerobounce.net/blog/newsroom/yahoo-mail-storage-update |website=ZeroBounce |date=5 August 2025 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

By contrast, other major platforms that faced similar backlash reversed course. Google denied using private Gmail content to train its Gemini AI model after a November 2025 viral scare triggered by a retracted Malwarebytes report.<ref name="futurism">{{Cite web |title=Google Denies Reading Your Gmail to Train Its AI |url=https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/google-denies-gmail-ai |website=Futurism |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> Adobe [[Adobe ToS update gives the company rights over consumers' works|reversed its June 2024 ToS changes]] & explicitly stated it doesn't train generative AI on customer content.<ref name="adobe-blog">{{Cite web |title=Here's what to know about Adobe's Terms of Use updates |url=https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/06/10/updating-adobes-terms-of-use |website=Adobe Blog |date=10 June 2024 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> A January 2025 class action against LinkedIn alleging AI training on private messages was voluntarily withdrawn after LinkedIn showed evidence it had not used subscribers' messages for training.<ref name="pymnts">{{Cite web |title=LinkedIn AI Training Data Lawsuit Dismissed |url=https://www.pymnts.com/legal/2025/linkedin-ai-training-data-lawsuit-dismissed/ |website=PYMNTS.com |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Negative option marketing]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content}}
[[Category:Yahoo!]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Data]]
[[Category:Terms of Service]]
[[Category:Artificial intelligence]]

Yahoo!

2026-07-02T18:48:19Z

~2026-756: /* Incidents */

{{Stub}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1994-01
|Industry=Web service
|Type=Subsidiary
|Logo=Yahoo!.svg
|Website=https://www.yahoo.com
|Description=Yahoo! is a company that makes internet-based products.
}}
Yahoo! is a company that makes internet-based products.

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
* '''User privacy:''' Third-party AI has been forced to be used.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content===
{{Excerpt|Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content}}

===Inactive account deletions===
{{see also|Inactive account deletion}}

Yahoo! has a [[Inactive account deletion|deletion policy on inactive accounts]] in which accounts that are not used for 24 months or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Such policies could adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time, such as hospitalization, prison incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries which have prolonged internet shutdowns.<ref>https://help.yahoo.com/kb/reasons-yahoo-deactivates-deletes-account-sln2018.html</ref>

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Inactive account deletion

2026-07-02T18:43:35Z

~2026-756: /* Examples */

{{stub}}

'''Inactive account deletion''' is where accounts get deleted after being unused, with the time-frame often being from 6 months to 5 years.

==How it works==
Several companies delete or purge accounts that have not shown any signs of activity after a certain period of time (e.g. two years). Some of them announce the account deletion via e-mail days or months before the deletion. If the account is deleted, it is likely all data linked to that account is unrecoverable.

==Why it is a problem==

*Inactive account deletion policies will adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time. Examples include hospitalization, incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries (i.e. Afghanistan) which are found to have implemented prolonged internet shutdowns, and other unforeseen factors such as the 2023 Hamas hostage crisis and being trapped in scam factories in Southeast Asia for a long period.

*In the case of email services, deletion of inactive accounts could result in major inconvenience for users who used the accounts as multiple factor authentications for important services such as banking.
*Loss of data or devices. A [[Microsoft account]] may be needed to access information stored on a Windows computer. If the account is deleted, and backups of the decryption keys are not kept, all information on the computer may be lost. Similarly, Google may brick phones where the Google account credentials are lost.

*Many accounts and contents that were created or owned by now-deceased users are likely affected under such policies. This could mean that immense amounts of valuable or historical significant contents will be lost over time. In some jurisdictions, some companies may allow those with a durable power of attourney, or executors to access accounts. Others, such as Microsoft in the United States require executors to get a court order in order to access a decedents account.

*Ultimately, in both the short and long term, such policies will cause serious erosion of historical integrity, which is especially paramount as in the era of deepfakes, lies and misinformation are just as likely as to arise from the absence of data than the presence of it. The erosion of historical integrity could cause human societies to be vulnerable to "historical context attacks".<ref>{{cite web |first=Edwards |last=Benj |title=AI threatens to rewrite history. Here’s how to protect it |date=3 Oct 2020 |website=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201003060527/https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |archive-date=2020-10-03}}</ref>

==Examples==
*AOL claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.aol.com/articles/reasons-aol-deactivates-or-deletes-an-account</ref>
*[[Discord]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inactive Account Deletion |author=Librarian |date=14 Jun 2023 |website=[[Discord]] Support |url=https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210025748/https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Google]] has deleted inactive accounts, often citing 'privacy reasons' as a reason for doing it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Shane |title=Google's Inactive Account Deletion policy: What You Need To Know |url=https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405154945/https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=29 Oct 2025 |website=Expert beacon}}</ref> The rationale has been ridiculed with some comparing it to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jordan |last=Novet |title=Google’s plan to purge inactive accounts isn’t sitting well with some users |website=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |url-status=live |date=19 Aug 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=2025-08-31}}</ref>
*[[Microsoft]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Any account that has been locked for more than two years will also be considered "inactive" and will be closed. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Microsoft account activity policy |website=Microsoft Support |date=1 Jul 2019 |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210005823/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Protonmail]] announced a policy in 2022 which entails the deletion of inactive accounts, resulting in a major controversy where many users voice their concerns on the decision.<ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218103805/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2024-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221016093816/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2022-10-16}}</ref> In response to these concerns, Protonmail added an exemption where the inactive account policy would not apply to any accounts which had premium subscriptions at one point, although the exemption was revoked as of 2024. Protonmail accounts that were created before April 9, 2024 has a two year grace period before being subjected to the policy, as opposed to one year for newer accounts.<ref>{{cite web |author=ProtonMail |website=[[Reddit]] |date=26 Apr 2022 |title=Update to our inactive account policy |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250402195858/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |archive-date=2025-04-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |author=Ashwin |date=27 Apr 2022 |title=ProtonMail will not delete user accounts for inactivity if the user had paid for a subscription at any point |website=ghacks |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250316094922/https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |archive-date=2025-03-16}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive">{{cite web |url=https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |website=[[Proton]] |title=Inactive accounts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260524033731/https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |archive-date=2026-05-24}}</ref> In some cases users have reported success in recovering their inactive accounts after being locked under the policy.<ref>{{cite web |author=mozahzah |title=Account is no longer available due to inactivity |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |date=22 Jan 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222223819/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |archive-date=2026-02-22}}</ref> As of 2025 many users continue to voice their concerns regarding the inactive account policy, while advocating for sensible measures such as deleting only the contents in the inactive accounts while sparing the accounts themselves.<ref>{{cite web |website=Proton Uservoice |title=Inactive account policy - keep account when deleting data |author=Fibonacci |date=10 Apr 2024 |url=https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117234124/https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |archive-date=2025-11-17}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive" />
*Trello, which is owned by Atlassian, has a "Dormant Trello account policy" which said that accounts that are not logged in for more than two years could be subjected to deletions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dormant Trello account policy |website=Atlassian Support |url=https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260126175853/https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |archive-date=2026-01-26}}</ref>
*Tuta, formerly known as Tutanota, an email service based in Germany, deletes inactive free accounts after six months of inactivity, although unlike Protonmail, they explicitly allow the possibility of username revival and recovery provided that the user has the correct credentials and creates a paid email account where the revived username would be used as an alias.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tuta.com/support/security |title=Security and Privacy |url-status=live |website=Tuta |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130172956/https://tuta.com/support/security |archive-date=2026-01-30}}</ref>
*[[Twitch]] had implemented deletions of accounts that are not logged in for long periods while reclaiming their usernames in 2017 at least once.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |title=Username Rename & Recycling Policy Update |first=Emily |last=Halpin |date=6 Jan 2017 |website=[[Twitch]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926203423/https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |archive-date=2019-09-26}}</ref>
*[[X Corp|X]], formerly known as Twitter, had in 2023 announced its intentions to delete inactive accounts, although following public backlash it had retracted the decision, saying that inactive accounts would be archived instead while their handles would be freed. Despite the retraction, there are at least one anecdotal reports which alleged X had deleted suspended accounts that are not logged in for a long time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter to remove idle accounts, archive them
|first=Akash |last=Sriram |first2=Shinjini |last2=Ganguli |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |url-status=live |website=Reuters |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250526024527/https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |archive-date=2025-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Gerken |title=Twitter plans to remove and archive inactive accounts |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |website=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250621004808/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |archive-date=2025-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Grantham-Philips |last=Wyatte |title=Twitter is purging inactive accounts including people who have died, angering those still grieving |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |url-status=live |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260125105022/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |archive-date=2026-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=cyberanakinvader |website=[[Reddit]] |date=8 Jun 2024 |title=Twitter is silently deleting some suspended accounts which has not been logged in for some time. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111213116/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |archive-date=2026-01-11}}</ref>
*[[Yahoo!]] claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.yahoo.com/kb/reasons-yahoo-deactivates-deletes-account-sln2018.html</ref>

==Proposed solutions==
Partly in response to corporate arguments about financial costs that justify harsh inactive account deletion policies, the Pirate Parties International website had published opinion articles advocating for the creation of a Digital Legacies Treaty in which some large email and social media services will be treated as effective public utilities akin to healthcare and emergency services, as the financial costs required for the services to maintain access to user data would become a government expense, akin to a military defense budget. The Pirate Parties International also advocated for structured protocols for the services to follow if they decide to shutter their platforms, which can include bailout, takeover by another platforms, or donation of archival data to archival institutions such as the National Diet Library of Japan, the Bibliothèque nationale of France, and the National Archives of the USA.<ref>{{Cite web |author=KG |title=The Case for a Digital Legacies Treaty |url=https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |website=Pirate Parties International |date=10 Feb 2026 |access-date=1 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260306000633/https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |archive-date=6 Mar 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

Inactive account deletion

2026-07-02T18:43:06Z

~2026-756:

{{stub}}

'''Inactive account deletion''' is where accounts get deleted after being unused, with the time-frame often being from 6 months to 5 years.

==How it works==
Several companies delete or purge accounts that have not shown any signs of activity after a certain period of time (e.g. two years). Some of them announce the account deletion via e-mail days or months before the deletion. If the account is deleted, it is likely all data linked to that account is unrecoverable.

==Why it is a problem==

*Inactive account deletion policies will adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time. Examples include hospitalization, incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries (i.e. Afghanistan) which are found to have implemented prolonged internet shutdowns, and other unforeseen factors such as the 2023 Hamas hostage crisis and being trapped in scam factories in Southeast Asia for a long period.

*In the case of email services, deletion of inactive accounts could result in major inconvenience for users who used the accounts as multiple factor authentications for important services such as banking.
*Loss of data or devices. A [[Microsoft account]] may be needed to access information stored on a Windows computer. If the account is deleted, and backups of the decryption keys are not kept, all information on the computer may be lost. Similarly, Google may brick phones where the Google account credentials are lost.

*Many accounts and contents that were created or owned by now-deceased users are likely affected under such policies. This could mean that immense amounts of valuable or historical significant contents will be lost over time. In some jurisdictions, some companies may allow those with a durable power of attourney, or executors to access accounts. Others, such as Microsoft in the United States require executors to get a court order in order to access a decedents account.

*Ultimately, in both the short and long term, such policies will cause serious erosion of historical integrity, which is especially paramount as in the era of deepfakes, lies and misinformation are just as likely as to arise from the absence of data than the presence of it. The erosion of historical integrity could cause human societies to be vulnerable to "historical context attacks".<ref>{{cite web |first=Edwards |last=Benj |title=AI threatens to rewrite history. Here’s how to protect it |date=3 Oct 2020 |website=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201003060527/https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |archive-date=2020-10-03}}</ref>

==Examples==
*[[AOL]] claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.aol.com/articles/reasons-aol-deactivates-or-deletes-an-account</ref>
*[[Discord]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inactive Account Deletion |author=Librarian |date=14 Jun 2023 |website=[[Discord]] Support |url=https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210025748/https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Google]] has deleted inactive accounts, often citing 'privacy reasons' as a reason for doing it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Shane |title=Google's Inactive Account Deletion policy: What You Need To Know |url=https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405154945/https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=29 Oct 2025 |website=Expert beacon}}</ref> The rationale has been ridiculed with some comparing it to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jordan |last=Novet |title=Google’s plan to purge inactive accounts isn’t sitting well with some users |website=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |url-status=live |date=19 Aug 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=2025-08-31}}</ref>
*[[Microsoft]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Any account that has been locked for more than two years will also be considered "inactive" and will be closed. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Microsoft account activity policy |website=Microsoft Support |date=1 Jul 2019 |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210005823/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Protonmail]] announced a policy in 2022 which entails the deletion of inactive accounts, resulting in a major controversy where many users voice their concerns on the decision.<ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218103805/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2024-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221016093816/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2022-10-16}}</ref> In response to these concerns, Protonmail added an exemption where the inactive account policy would not apply to any accounts which had premium subscriptions at one point, although the exemption was revoked as of 2024. Protonmail accounts that were created before April 9, 2024 has a two year grace period before being subjected to the policy, as opposed to one year for newer accounts.<ref>{{cite web |author=ProtonMail |website=[[Reddit]] |date=26 Apr 2022 |title=Update to our inactive account policy |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250402195858/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |archive-date=2025-04-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |author=Ashwin |date=27 Apr 2022 |title=ProtonMail will not delete user accounts for inactivity if the user had paid for a subscription at any point |website=ghacks |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250316094922/https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |archive-date=2025-03-16}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive">{{cite web |url=https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |website=[[Proton]] |title=Inactive accounts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260524033731/https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |archive-date=2026-05-24}}</ref> In some cases users have reported success in recovering their inactive accounts after being locked under the policy.<ref>{{cite web |author=mozahzah |title=Account is no longer available due to inactivity |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |date=22 Jan 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222223819/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |archive-date=2026-02-22}}</ref> As of 2025 many users continue to voice their concerns regarding the inactive account policy, while advocating for sensible measures such as deleting only the contents in the inactive accounts while sparing the accounts themselves.<ref>{{cite web |website=Proton Uservoice |title=Inactive account policy - keep account when deleting data |author=Fibonacci |date=10 Apr 2024 |url=https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117234124/https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |archive-date=2025-11-17}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive" />
*Trello, which is owned by Atlassian, has a "Dormant Trello account policy" which said that accounts that are not logged in for more than two years could be subjected to deletions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dormant Trello account policy |website=Atlassian Support |url=https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260126175853/https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |archive-date=2026-01-26}}</ref>
*Tuta, formerly known as Tutanota, an email service based in Germany, deletes inactive free accounts after six months of inactivity, although unlike Protonmail, they explicitly allow the possibility of username revival and recovery provided that the user has the correct credentials and creates a paid email account where the revived username would be used as an alias.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tuta.com/support/security |title=Security and Privacy |url-status=live |website=Tuta |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130172956/https://tuta.com/support/security |archive-date=2026-01-30}}</ref>
*[[Twitch]] had implemented deletions of accounts that are not logged in for long periods while reclaiming their usernames in 2017 at least once.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |title=Username Rename & Recycling Policy Update |first=Emily |last=Halpin |date=6 Jan 2017 |website=[[Twitch]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926203423/https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |archive-date=2019-09-26}}</ref>
*[[X Corp|X]], formerly known as Twitter, had in 2023 announced its intentions to delete inactive accounts, although following public backlash it had retracted the decision, saying that inactive accounts would be archived instead while their handles would be freed. Despite the retraction, there are at least one anecdotal reports which alleged X had deleted suspended accounts that are not logged in for a long time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter to remove idle accounts, archive them
|first=Akash |last=Sriram |first2=Shinjini |last2=Ganguli |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |url-status=live |website=Reuters |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250526024527/https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |archive-date=2025-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Gerken |title=Twitter plans to remove and archive inactive accounts |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |website=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250621004808/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |archive-date=2025-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Grantham-Philips |last=Wyatte |title=Twitter is purging inactive accounts including people who have died, angering those still grieving |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |url-status=live |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260125105022/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |archive-date=2026-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=cyberanakinvader |website=[[Reddit]] |date=8 Jun 2024 |title=Twitter is silently deleting some suspended accounts which has not been logged in for some time. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111213116/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |archive-date=2026-01-11}}</ref>
*[[Yahoo!]] claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.yahoo.com/kb/reasons-yahoo-deactivates-deletes-account-sln2018.html</ref>

==Proposed solutions==
Partly in response to corporate arguments about financial costs that justify harsh inactive account deletion policies, the Pirate Parties International website had published opinion articles advocating for the creation of a Digital Legacies Treaty in which some large email and social media services will be treated as effective public utilities akin to healthcare and emergency services, as the financial costs required for the services to maintain access to user data would become a government expense, akin to a military defense budget. The Pirate Parties International also advocated for structured protocols for the services to follow if they decide to shutter their platforms, which can include bailout, takeover by another platforms, or donation of archival data to archival institutions such as the National Diet Library of Japan, the Bibliothèque nationale of France, and the National Archives of the USA.<ref>{{Cite web |author=KG |title=The Case for a Digital Legacies Treaty |url=https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |website=Pirate Parties International |date=10 Feb 2026 |access-date=1 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260306000633/https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |archive-date=6 Mar 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

Inactive account deletion

2026-07-02T18:42:30Z

~2026-756: /* Examples */

{{stub}}

'''Inactive account deletion''' is where accounts get deleted after being unused, with the time-frame often being from 6 months to 5 years.

==How it works==
Several companies delete or purge accounts that have not shown any signs of activity after a certain period of time (e.g. two years). Some of them announce the account deletion via e-mail days or months before the deletion. If the account is deleted, it is likely all data linked to that account is unrecoverable.

==Why it is a problem==

*Inactive account deletion policies will adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time. Examples include hospitalization, incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries (i.e. Afghanistan) which are found to have implemented prolonged internet shutdowns, and other unforeseen factors such as the 2023 Hamas hostage crisis and being trapped in scam factories in Southeast Asia for a long period.

*In the case of email services, deletion of inactive accounts could result in major inconvenience for users who used the accounts as multiple factor authentications for important services such as banking.
*Loss of data or devices. A [[Microsoft account]] may be needed to access information stored on a Windows computer. If the account is deleted, and backups of the decryption keys are not kept, all information on the computer may be lost. Similarly, Google may brick phones where the Google account credentials are lost.

*Many accounts and contents that were created or owned by now-deceased users are likely affected under such policies. This could mean that immense amounts of valuable or historical significant contents will be lost over time. In some jurisdictions, some companies may allow those with a durable power of attourney, or executors to access accounts. Others, such as Microsoft in the United States require executors to get a court order in order to access a decedents account.

*Ultimately, in both the short and long term, such policies will cause serious erosion of historical integrity, which is especially paramount as in the era of deepfakes, lies and misinformation are just as likely as to arise from the absence of data than the presence of it. The erosion of historical integrity could cause human societies to be vulnerable to "historical context attacks".<ref>{{cite web |first=Edwards |last=Benj |title=AI threatens to rewrite history. Here’s how to protect it |date=3 Oct 2020 |website=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201003060527/https://www.fastcompany.com/90549441/how-to-prevent-deepfakes |archive-date=2020-10-03}}</ref>

==Examples==
*[[AOL]] claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.aol.com/articles/reasons-aol-deactivates-or-deletes-an-account</ref>
*[[Discord]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inactive Account Deletion |author=Librarian |date=14 Jun 2023 |website=[[Discord]] Support |url=https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210025748/https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/5106714856215-Inactive-Account-Deletion |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Google]] has deleted inactive accounts, often citing 'privacy reasons' as a reason for doing it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Shane |title=Google's Inactive Account Deletion policy: What You Need To Know |url=https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405154945/https://expertbeacon.com/googles-inactive-account-deletion-policy-what-you-need-to-know/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=29 Oct 2025 |website=Expert beacon}}</ref> The rationale has been ridiculed with some comparing it to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jordan |last=Novet |title=Google’s plan to purge inactive accounts isn’t sitting well with some users |website=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |url-status=live |date=19 Aug 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=2025-08-31}}</ref>
*[[Microsoft]] has a deletion policy on inactive accounts in which accounts that are not used for 2 years or more may be scheduled to be deleted. Any account that has been locked for more than two years will also be considered "inactive" and will be closed. Before the deletion of the inactive account, users may get an email or text message warning that their account is scheduled to be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Microsoft account activity policy |website=Microsoft Support |date=1 Jul 2019 |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210005823/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f |archive-date=2026-02-10}}</ref>
*[[Protonmail]] announced a policy in 2022 which entails the deletion of inactive accounts, resulting in a major controversy where many users voice their concerns on the decision.<ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218103805/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/u3ejjp/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2024-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=socookre |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Protonmail's dormant policy is now in effect. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |url-status=live |date=14 Apr 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221016093816/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/u3g406/protonmails_dormant_policy_is_now_in_effect/ |archive-date=2022-10-16}}</ref> In response to these concerns, Protonmail added an exemption where the inactive account policy would not apply to any accounts which had premium subscriptions at one point, although the exemption was revoked as of 2024. Protonmail accounts that were created before April 9, 2024 has a two year grace period before being subjected to the policy, as opposed to one year for newer accounts.<ref>{{cite web |author=ProtonMail |website=[[Reddit]] |date=26 Apr 2022 |title=Update to our inactive account policy |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250402195858/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/uca15y/update_to_our_inactive_account_policy/ |archive-date=2025-04-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |author=Ashwin |date=27 Apr 2022 |title=ProtonMail will not delete user accounts for inactivity if the user had paid for a subscription at any point |website=ghacks |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250316094922/https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/27/protonmail-will-not-delete-inactive-user-accounts-for-former-premium-subscribers/ |archive-date=2025-03-16}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive">{{cite web |url=https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |website=[[Proton]] |title=Inactive accounts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260524033731/https://proton.me/support/inactive-accounts |archive-date=2026-05-24}}</ref> In some cases users have reported success in recovering their inactive accounts after being locked under the policy.<ref>{{cite web |author=mozahzah |title=Account is no longer available due to inactivity |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |date=22 Jan 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222223819/https://old.reddit.com/r/ProtonMail/comments/1i7gbd7/account_is_no_longer_available_due_to_inactivity/ |archive-date=2026-02-22}}</ref> As of 2025 many users continue to voice their concerns regarding the inactive account policy, while advocating for sensible measures such as deleting only the contents in the inactive accounts while sparing the accounts themselves.<ref>{{cite web |website=Proton Uservoice |title=Inactive account policy - keep account when deleting data |author=Fibonacci |date=10 Apr 2024 |url=https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117234124/https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/945460-general-ideas/suggestions/48235556-inactive-account-policy-keep-account-when-deleti |archive-date=2025-11-17}}</ref><ref name="proton-inactive" />
*Trello, which is owned by Atlassian, has a "Dormant Trello account policy" which said that accounts that are not logged in for more than two years could be subjected to deletions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dormant Trello account policy |website=Atlassian Support |url=https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260126175853/https://support.atlassian.com/trello/docs/dormant-trello-account-policy/ |archive-date=2026-01-26}}</ref>
*Tuta, formerly known as Tutanota, an email service based in Germany, deletes inactive free accounts after six months of inactivity, although unlike Protonmail, they explicitly allow the possibility of username revival and recovery provided that the user has the correct credentials and creates a paid email account where the revived username would be used as an alias.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tuta.com/support/security |title=Security and Privacy |url-status=live |website=Tuta |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130172956/https://tuta.com/support/security |archive-date=2026-01-30}}</ref>
*[[Twitch]] had implemented deletions of accounts that are not logged in for long periods while reclaiming their usernames in 2017 at least once.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |title=Username Rename & Recycling Policy Update |first=Emily |last=Halpin |date=6 Jan 2017 |website=[[Twitch]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926203423/https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2017/01/06/username-rename-recycling-policy-update-882431cb966b/ |archive-date=2019-09-26}}</ref>
*[[X Corp|X]], formerly known as Twitter, had in 2023 announced its intentions to delete inactive accounts, although following public backlash it had retracted the decision, saying that inactive accounts would be archived instead while their handles would be freed. Despite the retraction, there are at least one anecdotal reports which alleged X had deleted suspended accounts that are not logged in for a long time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter to remove idle accounts, archive them
|first=Akash |last=Sriram |first2=Shinjini |last2=Ganguli |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |url-status=live |website=Reuters |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250526024527/https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-remove-inactive-accounts-2023-05-08/ |archive-date=2025-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Gerken |title=Twitter plans to remove and archive inactive accounts |date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |website=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250621004808/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65533014 |archive-date=2025-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Grantham-Philips |last=Wyatte |title=Twitter is purging inactive accounts including people who have died, angering those still grieving |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |url-status=live |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260125105022/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/twitter-is-purging-inactive-accounts-including-people-who-have-died-angering-those-still-grieving |archive-date=2026-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=cyberanakinvader |website=[[Reddit]] |date=8 Jun 2024 |title=Twitter is silently deleting some suspended accounts which has not been logged in for some time. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111213116/https://old.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/1db1sru/twitter_is_silently_deleting_some_suspended/ |archive-date=2026-01-11}}</ref>
*[[Yahoo]] claims that they deletes inactive accounts when they're not signed in for 24 months.<ref>https://help.yahoo.com/kb/reasons-yahoo-deactivates-deletes-account-sln2018.html</ref>

==Proposed solutions==
Partly in response to corporate arguments about financial costs that justify harsh inactive account deletion policies, the Pirate Parties International website had published opinion articles advocating for the creation of a Digital Legacies Treaty in which some large email and social media services will be treated as effective public utilities akin to healthcare and emergency services, as the financial costs required for the services to maintain access to user data would become a government expense, akin to a military defense budget. The Pirate Parties International also advocated for structured protocols for the services to follow if they decide to shutter their platforms, which can include bailout, takeover by another platforms, or donation of archival data to archival institutions such as the National Diet Library of Japan, the Bibliothèque nationale of France, and the National Archives of the USA.<ref>{{Cite web |author=KG |title=The Case for a Digital Legacies Treaty |url=https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |website=Pirate Parties International |date=10 Feb 2026 |access-date=1 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260306000633/https://pp-international.net/2026/02/digitallegacies/ |archive-date=6 Mar 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]