Gmails retention policy

Discussion in 'Google' started by theneedforspeed, May 10, 2009.

  1. #1
    I keep reading about how Gmail keeps deleted emails forever, but: I also read where they say they have no intention of this and they will remove from all servers, etc. as quickly as possible.

    Does anyone on here have a good knowledge of how long our deleted emails are kept? Say my wife wanted to subpoena emails in divorce case, 2 or 3 years old. This is just an example, but what are the chances?

    Thanks
     
    theneedforspeed, May 10, 2009 IP
  2. technolarity

    technolarity Well-Known Member

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    #2
    Google goes bankrupt.
     
    technolarity, May 10, 2009 IP
  3. izwanmad

    izwanmad Banned

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    #3
    as far as I know. After you delete email from gmail. Gmail will keep the email in Trash folder. Gmail will empty messages from your Trash automatically after 30 days.
     
    izwanmad, May 10, 2009 IP
  4. lightlysalted

    lightlysalted Active Member

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    #4
    I think that for anti terror purposes they will keep them forever. However the government must be involved because no business in it's right mind would be willing on a volunatry basis to pay to store that amoutn of data which will never again be used, unless there was some funding from a government source
     
    lightlysalted, May 10, 2009 IP
  5. theneedforspeed

    theneedforspeed Peon

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    #5
    So you think they are not telling the truth when they say they will remove them from all servers as quickly as practical. Google says they have no intention of keeping deleted emails for long periods.
     
    theneedforspeed, May 10, 2009 IP
  6. theneedforspeed

    theneedforspeed Peon

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    #6
    What do you think about this response from Google:

    "Some news stories have suggested that Google intends to keep copies of users' email messages even after they've deleted them, or closed their accounts. This is simply not true. Google keeps multiple backup copies of users' emails so that we can recover messages and restore accounts in case of errors or system failure. Even if a message has been deleted or an account is no longer active, messages may remain on our backup systems for some period of time. This is standard practice in the email industry, which Gmail and other major webmail services follow in order to provide a reliable service for users. We will make reasonable efforts to remove deleted information from our systems as quickly as is practical."
     
    theneedforspeed, May 11, 2009 IP
  7. manofwar

    manofwar Active Member

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    #7
    Gmail doesn't keep data forever. They don't have 'unlimited' storage, and each single MB is a cost to them. Likely, after you delete your email from your trash they keep the email for 6months+/-, which would be around the 180day industry standard for many types of backups.
     
    manofwar, May 11, 2009 IP
  8. Abhik

    Abhik ..:: The ONE ::..

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    #8
    I also don't think GMail keeps any emails after 30 days of trashed.
     
    Abhik, May 11, 2009 IP
  9. enhu

    enhu Well-Known Member

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    #9
    gmail wont do that. there are lots of available space. those emails will be gone if you manually delete those.
     
    enhu, May 11, 2009 IP
  10. theneedforspeed

    theneedforspeed Peon

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    #10
    Thanks.
    If you google Andris Pukke, you can find the article where in 2006 where a judge allowed a subpoena of his emails, deleted also, all the way back to 2003. If you researche more, there is a document that talks about these emails and what were found, they start talking about emails as far back as April of 2005. Nothing mentioned earlier. This is about a year back. This does not tell WHEN he deleted them, or if anything was recovered before 2005. If he deleted that email right away, then that would show they at least keep deleted emails for 1 year?
     
    theneedforspeed, May 11, 2009 IP
  11. Lovely

    Lovely Well-Known Member

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    #11
    Mails in trash box are deleted by gmail automatically when it is more than 30 days, am not sure if gmail still keep them on the server after it was deleted from your account.
     
    Lovely, May 11, 2009 IP
  12. Earnest01

    Earnest01 Peon

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    #12
    That's an interesting question actually. Where does the interest come from, btw? Any subpoenas :)?
     
    Earnest01, May 11, 2009 IP