Your Outlook.com email account name will be recycled if inactive for 360 days

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Published onOctober 6, 2013

published onOctober 6, 2013

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According to a new report by PCWorld, Microsoft is recycling Outlook.com email account names if they are left inactive after a certain period of time. Microsoft has made no mention that this recycling of account names would occur, but the company’s Services Agreement does state that you are required to log into your account “periodically.”

“The Microsoft branded services require that you sign in to your Microsoft account periodically, at a minimum of every 270 days, to keep the Microsoft branded services portion of the services active, unless provided otherwise in an offer for a paid portion of the services. If you fail to sign in during this period, we may cancel your access to the Microsoft branded services. If the Microsoft branded services are canceled due to your failure to sign in, your data may be permanently deleted from our servers,” Microsoft’sServices Agreement states.

When an account becomes inactive, Microsoft will queue that account for deletion. Once that happens and after a total of 360 days, Microsoft will allow that email account name to be available to the public again.

Yahoo faced criticism over this unused email recycling issue in the past, which sparked an outrage over privacy and security concerns over identity theft through data obtained from old email. Google, on the other hand, does not partake in an email recycling program.

“When Yahoo announced this, experts warned about and predicted serious security and privacy issues. Yahoo downplayed these risks, and ignored these critics, but now we see these concerns were legitimate. The least Microsoft should do is clearly inform its users about the account reuse policy. Microsoft should absolutely mention this policy in their service agreement. Users should be made aware of this,” Mike Rispoli of Privacy International stated in response to the issue.

Is the issue at hand such a big deal? Or does Microsoft need to step up and disclose its recycling program? Considering that privacy and security is a hot topic these days, how do you feel about this? Sound off in the comments below.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Radu Tyrsina

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low#

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app#

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities#

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount#

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier#

Your Outlook.com email account name will be recycled if inactive for 360 days#

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Your Outlook.com email account name will be recycled if inactive for 360 days