Google will start deleting 'inactive' accounts in December; Here''s what you need to know
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New York (AP): Have a Google account you haven't used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in before the end of the week.
Under Google's updated inactive account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven't been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive could be erased beginning Friday.
If you have an account that's deemed "inactive" and at risk for deletion, you should receive notices from Google sent to the email affiliated with that account and its recovery address (if one exits). But if you're still catching up on this new policy and want to ensure that your content on Google Drive, Docs, Gmail and more is saved here's what you need to know.
WHY IS GOOGLE DELETING INACTIVE ACCOUNTS
In May's announcement, Google credited its inactive account update to security issues.
Accounts that haven't been used for a long time are more likely to be compromised, the company said noting that "forgotten or unattended accounts" typically have old passwords, often lack two-factor authentication and receive fewer security checks. As a result, these accounts could be hijacked and used for spam or other malicious content, as well as identity theft.
HOW CAN I PREVENT MY ACCOUNT FROM BEING DELETED?
The easiest way to keep your Google account active (and thus prevent it from being deleted) is to sign in at least once every two years.
Other actions that fulfill account activity requirements include sending or scrolling through emails, using Google search and watching YouTube videos (YouTube is owned by Google) all while signed into your Google account. Existing subscriptions set up through your Google account, including profiles for third-party apps and publications, can also account for activity.
Preserving content on Google Photos requires a specific sign-in. As previously announced by Google, Photos content may be similarly deleted after two years of inactivity meaning you should open the application every so often to keep images from going into the trash.
ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY?
Only personal Google accounts that haven't been used for two years or more will be impacted under this inactive account update. Accounts made for organizations, like schools or companies, will not be affected, Google says.
Per Google's online policy, other exceptions include Google accounts that manage active minor accounts, accounts containing a gift card balance as well as those that have been used to purchase Google products, apps or subscriptions that are ongoing.
As of May's announcement, Google also said there were no plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos. The Associated Press reached out to Google Monday to confirm that's still the case.
CAN I SAVE DATA FROM MY GOOGLE ACCOUNT?
Beyond keeping your Google account active, there's a few tools to help manage and backup your data.
Google Takeout, for example, allows users to download and export account data outside of Google at any time. And its Inactive Account Manager lets you choose what would happen to your account and data if it becomes inactive including options to send select files to trusted contacts or delete the account entirely. Google's online policy also says the company can work with immediate family to close the account of a deceased loved one and/or provide some account content without sharing login credentials on a case-by-case basis.
Google asks users to provide and update a recovery email for their account which is also helpful for sending inactive account notices and other communications.
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PIL in SC seeks abolition of TDS system, cites constitutional violations
New Delhi (PTI): A PIL filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday sought to scrap the TDS system calling it "arbitrary and irrational" and violative of various fundamental rights, including equality.
The PIL challenged the tax deducted at source or TDS framework under the Income Tax Act, which mandates the deduction of tax at the time of payment by the payer and its deposit with the income tax department. The deducted amount is adjusted against the payee's tax liability.
The plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay through advocate Ashwani Dubey, made the Centre, ministry of law and justice, law commission, and NITI Aayog as parties.
It sought a direction to "declare the TDS system manifestly arbitrary, irrational and against Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (right to practice profession) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution, hence void and inoperative".
The plea further sought directions to the NITI Ayog to consider contentions raised in the plea and suggest necessary changes in TDS system.
It said the law commission should examine the legality of the TDS system and prepare a report within three months.
The TDS system imposes significant administrative and financial burdens on taxpayers tasked with compliance which include managing complex rules, issuing TDS certificates, filing returns, and defending against penalties for inadvertent errors, argued the plea.
Assessees often incur substantial expenses, ranging from salaries of compliance staff to professional fees for tax consultants, without receiving compensation, it said.
The plea said the system violated Article 14 (equality before the law) by disproportionately burdening economically weaker sections and small earners who lack the capacity to navigate its technical requirements.
Referring to Article 23, it said the imposition of tax collection duties on private citizens amounted to forced labour.
The TDS system was stated to adversely affect individuals below the taxable income threshold, as tax was deducted at source irrespective of their liability.
"The regulatory and procedural framework surrounding TDS is excessively technical, often requiring specialised legal and financial expertise, which most assessees lack. The result is an unjust shifting of sovereign responsibilities from the government to private citizens without adequate compensation, resources, or legal safeguards," it said.
