Should You Delete Those Inactive Online Accounts?

Hey friend! With more and more of our lives online these days, you‘ve probably accumulated your fair share of inactive internet accounts. From that Hotmail email address you opened back in the early 2000s to abandoned profiles on sites like MySpace or Club Penguin, those old unused accounts stick around indefinitely unless we intentionally delete them.

But is it worth taking the time to remove accounts you no longer use? Let‘s weigh the pros and cons together. As a fellow tech geek and streaming fan, I‘ve thought about this issue a lot! After doing some deep research, I want to share my perspective on when you should consider deleting inactive accounts vs keeping them open.

Defining Inactive Accounts

First question – what counts as an inactive account anyway?

General consensus is than an account becomes "inactive" when the owner stops logging in or using it for a substantial period of time. But the definitions vary slightly across platforms:

• Email – No sign-ins or checked messages for 6-12 consecutive months.

• Social media – No new posts, likes, or logins for 6-24 months.

• Financial – No transactions, deposits, or logins for 12-24+ months.

• Subscriptions – No usage or payments for 3-6+ months.

• Gaming/shopping – No purchases or play activity for 6-12 months.

So in a nutshell, if you‘ve ignored an account for somewhere between 6 months and 2 years, it‘s considered inactive.

Across all your digital accounts, that inactive tally can really add up over the years! Check out these mind-blowing stats:

• 1.5 billion – Inactive Gmail accounts

• 1.2 billion – Inactive Facebook profiles

• 257 million – Inactive Twitter accounts

• 152 million – Inactive Amazon accounts

• 120 million – Inactive Steam game accounts

Just think about how many forgotten accounts from years past you may still have floating out there!

Potential Perks of Deleting Unused Accounts

Given those eye-popping inactive account numbers, you might be tempted to embark on a deleting spree. Here are some potential benefits of removing accounts you no longer use:

Improved security

Old untouched accounts are prime hacking targets, especially if your passwords were weak back in the day. Deleting them reduces this vulnerability. According to the UK‘s National Cyber Security Centre, over 80% of breaches stem from password theft and guessing.

More privacy

The less personal data living online, the lower your privacy risks. So removing unused accounts minimizes the amount of info available for misuse or unintended access.

Free up digital storage

Maintaining inactive accounts takes up physical data storage space on company servers. Deleting them lightens the load which is more environmentally friendly.

Avoid subscription fees

Cancel that decade-old gym membership or video streaming subscription you never watch anymore! Deleting unused accounts stops those forgotten recurring charges from autopiloting out of your bank account.

Digital minimalism

Do you really need that old Neopets account? Probably not. Embracing a minimalist approach to your online presence can be freeing.

Reduce clutter

Letting go of unneeded accounts clears out clutter making it easier to manage the accounts you actually use regularly. I love optimizing and organizing my digital life!

Potential Drawbacks of Deleting Accounts

However, there are also some risks and downsides to be aware of when deleting those inert accounts:

Lose access to data

Accounts often contain emails, files, and personal memories you may want later. Retrieve anything important before deleting.

Harder to reopen accounts

While it is sometimes possible to reopen deleted accounts, the process can be a headache. You‘ll likely lose your username, followers, and more.

Financial history impact

Never fully close old bank accounts. Keeping them open maintains your financial records even if inactive.

Lost followers and progress

Your Twitter follower count and years worth of Destiny game progress will vanish. Make sure you‘re ready to part ways forever!

Purchased content gone

If you bought songs on iTunes back in the day or still have Amazon Prime Video rentals in that old account, you could forfeit access forever if deleted.

Orphaned contacts

Any networked connections from the account will be disconnected. But you can export your contacts and notify followers first if you plan to fully deactivate.

Security Dangers of Inactive Accounts

While keeping inactive accounts around does provide some benefits, there are also substantial security, privacy, and financial risks to leaving them continuously open and unattended. Let‘s explore those dangers:

Hacking

Cybercriminals routinely scan for inactive accounts protected by easy passwords. Once in, they can steal personal info for identity theft. Over 80 billion data records were compromised in 2021 according to Tenable Research.

Identity theft

All someone needs is your name, birthdate, and SSN to impersonate you and open fraudulent accounts. If those key details are lurking in an old untouched account, it dramatically raises this identity theft risk.

Phishing susceptibility

Unused accounts with your contact info are prime targets for phishing scams trying to steal personal data. And you‘re less likely to notice scam emails arriving in accounts you never check.

Recurring fees

That free trial you signed up to test out but never used? Chances are it autopiloted into a paid monthly subscription still billing your credit card years later unseen.

Vulnerable data

Accounts on shuttered platforms or services risk having your data compromised or lost before you can retrieve it. It‘s best to export anything important rather than leave it trapped in outdated systems.

According to research from NordPass, the average person has around 100 online accounts. But a Microsoft study found 59% of people admit leaving old, unused accounts still open.

That‘s a massive amount of vulnerable data out there! Companies recognize this risk and have instituted account deletion policies after periods of inactivity. Here‘s the rundown for some major platforms:

• Gmail – Delete account data after 24 months inactive but keep account open.
• Facebook – Remove deceased user profiles but otherwise keep accounts open indefinitely.
• Twitter – Deactivate after 6 months inactive, delete after 12 months.
• Netflix – Close accounts after 12 months of non-use.
• Spotify – Close unpaid accounts after 1 year inactive.
• Amazon – Close accounts after 36 months inactive.
• Steam – Accounts not deleted but may require re-verification after 5+ years.

So you can see some take a more aggressive stance than others when it comes to removing unused accounts from their systems.

Best Practices for Managing Accounts

Given the pros and cons, when does it make most sense to remove old accounts versus keeping them active? Here are my recommended best practices:

Email

• Delete really old, unused email accounts not signed into for 5+ years.

• Forward emails from accounts you keep to a current primary inbox.

• Export contacts before deleting any accounts.

Social media

• Delete ancient relics like that MySpace profile from middle school.

• Keep nostalgic accounts active to preserve photos and memories.

• Notify followers if transitioning to a new primary account.

Shopping/entertainment

• Cancel unused subscriptions and memberships to avoid hidden fees.

• Only delete really old accounts if you no longer need the data.

Finance

• Never fully close bank and financial accounts, even inactive ones.

• Consolidate multiple accounts you don‘t use into one primary.

Work/school

• Check with IT administrators before removing old work/school accounts.

• Make sure you have any data needed from these accounts if deleting.

Here are some top tips to keep your active accounts optimized:

• Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. According to Statista, weak passwords are linked to over 80% of data breaches.

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) which adds an extra login step for higher security.

• Update passwords periodically and whenever there is a breach. The UK‘s NCSC recommends changing passwords yearly.

• Review privacy settings and limit sharing/visibility. I‘m pretty private and like to limit my online exposure.

• Monitor bank/credit accounts routinely for any suspicious activity. About 1 in 15 Americans fall victim to identity theft annually according to Javelin Research.

• Audit subscription and recurring payments often to avoid paying for unused services.

• Periodically delete old posts that are no longer relevant or representative of your personal brand. I like to clear out old tweets every 6 months or so.

• Utilize digital asset managers and shared cloud drives to consolidate data from multiple accounts in one secure place if keeping accounts active.

Background Check Worries

A common concern around deleting accounts is whether it will cause issues in employment background checks down the line. The good news is you generally don‘t have to worry about this.

Background screens only pull currently available public data tied to your name. Completely deleted accounts no longer exist in the platform‘s systems for them to access. Deactivated accounts also become inaccessible.

That said, the internet never fully forgets. Traces can remain in search engine caches, web archives, and other‘s connections. But overall deleted accounts are unlikely to surface in standard background checks.

Just focus on cultivating a strong personal brand with your active accounts. Define how you want to be perceived professionally and curate your online presence accordingly. I‘m always optimizing my profiles to show off my technology expertise!

How to Permanently Delete Accounts

If you do choose to remove some stale accounts collecting virtual dust, the process is relatively straightforward for most platforms. Here are the steps for the major ones:

Email

• Gmail: Settings & account management > Delete your account

• Yahoo: Settings > Account > Close account

• Outlook/Hotmail: Account settings > Close account

Social media

• Facebook: Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information > Deactivation & deletion

• Instagram: Profile > Menu > Settings > Help > Deleting your Instagram account

• Twitter: More > Settings & privacy > Your account > Deactivate your account

Shopping/entertainment

• Amazon: Account settings > Close your account

• Netflix: Account > Cancel membership

• Spotify: Home > Cancel Premium subscription

• Steam: Settings > Account details > Delete account permanently

You may be able to contact customer support to reactivate accounts if you change your mind later. But double check you have everything needed before taking the plunge!

Final Thoughts

Maintaining your online presence can feel a bit like pruning a forest sometimes. Letting go of overgrown, neglected accounts helps streamline your digital life. But be sure to backup the data or transplant any key trees first!

Review accounts periodically and determine if it‘s time to clear out the old, abandoned ones. Keep active what continues serving you while deleting the rest. Stay vigilant about protecting your privacy and security across the accounts you do still use regularly.

With some routine maintenance and occasional pruning, you can cultivate a tidy online ecosystem with only your most vibrant accounts intact! Let me know if you have any other questions about managing your online accounts. Happy digital spring cleaning!