Google announced that it is cutting off inactive Gmail accounts, starting on December 1, reports MediaPost.

“An inactive Google Account is an account that has not been used within a 2-year period,” Google says. “Google reserves the right to delete an inactive Google Account and its activity and data if you are inactive across Google for at least two years.”

Activity is defined as:

• Reading or sending an email
• Using Google Drive
• Watching a YouTube video
• Sharing a photo
• Downloading an app
• Using Google Search
• Using Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service

MediaPost: “Most of us have done one of those things over the past two years, even if our main email accounts are Microsoft Outlook. Still, we’re probably talking about millions of people here. And email marketers have to play catch-up.

“Email marketers better play catch-up.

“I find it as no surprise that Google is taking this action,” says Ryan Phelan, managing partner at RPE Origin. “For years, senders may not have paid attention to inactive accounts.  Google is forcing their hand in removing them.”

“So what should marketers do?”

“What senders are going to need to do is expect their bounce metrics to have a bump around the first of December (if timing holds) and account for that in their reporting,” Phelan says. “Much like X, formerly Twitter, culling bot accounts, this will have the same effect and should be messaged that way.”

More here.