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The great digital purge is upon us
When was the last time you logged into that old Gmail account or your photo storage app? If it’s been a while, don’t be shocked if all your stuff is gone for good.
Most tech companies have policies that let them totally wipe out your account and everything in it if you haven’t signed in for a while. This could mean losing years of family photos, important emails and priceless memories. Yeah, that’s bad.
It happened to Andrew, my podcast cohost. He stored thousands and thousands of family photos on Shutterfly. One day, he went to log in and all those photos were nowhere to be found. No warning, no “are you sure?” Just deleted.
⏳ How long before your stuff disappears?
For starters, these deadly time-outs mostly apply to free accounts. Paid plans usually buy you more time, but not always. Sometimes you’ll get an email telling you to log in or else, but don’t count on it.
I put together this list for you so you know the dates your account could go into the intergalactic bit bucket.
- Google (Gmail, Drive, Photos): Two years of no activity = delete. Poof!
- Google Voice: Three months of silence and your number could be reassigned.
- Shutterfly: If you don’t make a purchase in 18 months, they can delete your photos.
- Dropbox (free accounts): Around 12 months of no activity and your files could disappear.
- Yahoo Mail: Account may be deleted after 12 months of no login.
- Outlook / Hotmail (Microsoft): You’ve got 24 months before your account is shut down.
- AOL Mail: Log in at least once every six months to keep your account alive.
- iCloud / Apple ID: Apple’s vague about it, but if your account is inactive for a “prolonged period” (think: years), they can disable or delete it.
- LinkedIn: No set timeline, but if you vanish for two or more years, your profile might disappear.
- X: Says it releases usernames after 30 days but is sketchy on full deletions.
- Snapchat: If you deactivate and don’t come back in 30 days, your account is gone for good.
- Instagram: They may delete accounts that go 90+ days without login or engagement, but timelines are vague (think months to years).
- Facebook and TikTok: Good news, if you ghost your account, they don’t delete it automatically. Your profile stays alive unless you remove it or break the rules, and then you won’t see the likes of anyone again.
Take one minute, log into that dusty old account and hit send on an email to yourself. Yes, even that backup inbox from 2009 where your only messages are spam and a Chili’s coupon.
👋 Know someone who hasn’t logged into that old Yahoo or Gmail account in a while? Forward this to them. It might save years of photos, emails and digital memories from disappearing into the void. Because if you don’t, poof, your digital memories could vanish faster than a Zoom invite on a Friday afternoon.
Squeaky clean steals
💦 My pick: Wet spray mop (17% off)
Forget lugging around a bucket. This mop works on wood, tile, laminate … basically, if you walk on it, it’s good to go.
🏠 Front door mat (17% off): Stop dirt at the door. Built tough for rain, snow and messy shoes.
🪰 Indoor fly trap (32% off, two-pack): Ditch the messy flypaper. Plug these in, and they’ll handle little invaders.
💚 Mesh screen cleaner (10% off): Finally, a way to clean dusty window screens without pulling them out.
✨ Microfiber cleaning cloth (47% off): Just add water, and watch your glass and mirrors shine.
🧽 Scrub the rest: More handpicked goodies that make your home spotless are waiting for you on my Amazon storefront.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
9 AI terms you should know (so you don’t sound like a clanker)
I love tech, but I’m not afraid to call it out when it gets weird.
If you’ve scrolled through X or Reddit lately, you’ve probably seen words that made you go, “Wait, what?” Here’s your cheat sheet to the wild world of AI slang. No decoder ring required.
⏱️ Every five seconds, someone’s identity is stolen. Don’t let it be yours. I trust NordProtect for real protection and real alerts. No gimmicks, just results. Get 65% off now while you still can. I switched from LifeLock and saved a ton of money!
🍏 Apple’s iDrop: Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, Apple will roll out its new, smarter Siri, along with the ultralight iPhone 17 Air, base iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. We’ll also see Apple Watches and smart home gear. Stream it on YouTube or Apple’s site. I’m just hoping the iRon will work with the iWash, iCook and iClean network. (That was so bad, it was so good!)
Three digital traps to avoid
Be careful online. Scammers are getting trickier than ever with fake Google Forms, phishing emails, and malicious QR codes. Here’s how to spot traps, protect your logins, financial information, and personal data before it’s too late.
$425 million
That’s how much Google owes for ignoring your “do not track” setting. Apparently, when you said “no thanks” to being tracked, Google heard “just a little bit.” The fine’s big, but considering the plaintiffs asked for $31 billion, it’s more of a slap than a shutdown.
🔋 Find power-hungry apps on your phone: On iPhone, go to Settings > Battery and check the Activity chart and Battery Usage by App. On Android, open Settings > Battery > Battery Usage to see the app list. Once you track down the main culprits, cut down their background refresh, notifications or sync times.
Log in or lose everything
Old accounts can vanish faster than you think. Gmail, Shutterfly, Dropbox, Yahoo, and more may delete your photos, emails, and memories if you haven’t signed in. Here’s how long you really have to log in before it’s all gone.
🔌 Go ahead, walk into an EV dealership and ask how much they charge: So here’s the scoop: People are picking up brand-new electric cars for less than $100/month. One guy leased a $65,000 Kia EV9 for $189. It’s all because tax credits are about to expire on Sept. 30, and dealers are basically handing out keys like coupons. If your car’s dying, run, don’t walk to your local EV dealer.
Host smarter for under $50
🫙 My pick: Electric mason jar vacuum sealer (10% off)
Forget pricey food-savers. Press one button, and boom, it seals tighter than your grandma’s Tupperware lid.
🧊 Collapsible cooler bag (23% off): Holds up to 60 cans. Perfect for tailgating or when you’re “just grabbing a few things” from the store.
🍳 Square grill pan (8% off): No griddle? No prob. This pan has high ridges to give you those steakhouse-quality grill marks.
🍗 Chicken shredder tool (6% off): Saves you 10 minutes of wrestling with forks. Just twist, shred and you’re all done.
🎉 Elastic tablecloth (43% off, two-pack): Turns your folding table from “garage sale” to “fancy party.” Toss it in the wash, reuse, repeat.
😋 These are just the starters: Head to my Amazon shop for 35 more gadgets I handpicked to make cooking and hosting way easier.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Your digital life could vanish overnight
Your forgotten accounts may not be as safe as you think. George, your AI host, reveals how long Gmail, iCloud, Dropbox, and more keep your data before hitting delete. Plus, the latest on Amazon Prime’s crackdown, Walmart’s Peacock deal, YouTube’s family plan changes, AI in healthcare, and device tricks you can use today.
Charlie Chaplin’s in theaters after 100 years
Charlie Chaplin famously rereleased his 1925 silent classic The Gold Rush in 1942 with new narration and edits, believing it would connect better with modern audiences. Now, thanks to film archivists and AI, the silent masterpiece has been painstakingly restored. The 4K version just premiered at Cannes and hit 250 theaters worldwide.
The Oakland AIs: The Oakland Ballers are going full Moneyball 2.0. They’re going to be the first pro sports team to let an AI manager handle in-game lineup, substitutions and field positions. It’s a one-time stunt, but it’s a first for pro sports. Fans used to manage the team via app. They lost. Now it’s the bots’ turn.
🔍 Track down contact info: Type “Jane Doe” with keywords like “email, phone or profile” into Google. If you know where they work, narrow it down with “Jane Doe” site:company.com. For social media, try site:linkedin.com Jane Doe, site:facebook.com Jane Doe or site:instagram.com Jane Doe. Still nothing? Reverse image search.
Scammers threatened to murder my dad
Lauren from San Francisco got a call that would terrify anyone: her dad crying as a man saying he’d be killed. Only… it wasn’t her dad on the line. Plus: Google dodges a breakup, Amazon cuts perks, and an AirTag leads to a thief caught in stolen clothes.
Let’s get physical
🏃♀️ My pick: Foldable desk treadmill (10% off)
Walk now, stash under your desk later. Turns “too busy to exercise” into “wow, I hit 10K steps before lunch.”
💪 Resistance bands (40% off, five-pack): Perfect if you like working out at home. They’re stretchy, soft and latex-free.
👟 Gel shoe insoles (9% off): Whether you run or are on your feet all day, these give your arches the support they need.
💦 Collapsible water bottle (38% off): Stays tall when you need it, squishes down when you don’t. No more hogging bag space.
🌀 Foam roller (6% off): Roll out those tight muscles. Cheaper than a massage therapist and always available.
😅 Don’t sweat it: Shop my Amazon store for more health gear and gadgets on sale. I’ve got your back (and legs and arms).
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
▶️ YouTube PiP on Chromebook: You can keep a YouTube video running while working on other tasks. Place your cursor on the video player, double-tap with two fingers on the touchpad, and select Picture in picture. A floating window will appear that you can resize and move anywhere on your screen.
🎥 Welles, Welles, Welles, what do we have here? AI studio Showrunner is trying to rebuild Orson Welles’ butchered masterpiece The Magnificent Ambersons. The missing 43 minutes were burned for storage space in 1942. Now, AI + live actors + face-swapping tech are piecing it back together. Amazon is backing it, but without the movie rights, it’s just a very expensive Frankenstein film.