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Privacy-centric email service Proton Mail may soon release millions of old, deactivated email addresses, potentially making them available for the first time in years.
On Reddit, Proton said millions of user accounts had improperly registered using automated scripts in the early days of the email service, before it implemented anti-abuse systems. These accounts were then usually deactivated for terms of service violations shortly after, but the email addresses were technically still in use, making it impossible for new users to claim them.
Proton, which fully launched in 2016, says that as its user base has risen in recent years, instances of people not getting their preferred username have been increasing. Many of the addresses registered in the early days of Proton would have been extremely common and desirable, such as JohnSmith@protonmail.me, for example. Proton claims that as of April 2023, there were 100 million registered accounts, though that's not the same as active users.
The company explained that no official decision has been made on releasing these old usernames, and it’s still in the process of collecting community feedback about the move.
Though many users on social media platforms like Reddit have supported the potential decision, others have been more critical. A writer from tech news website Nerds.xyz, who first covered the news, thinks that “releasing these abandoned email addresses feels like a privacy landmine waiting to explode,” adding the move seems “reckless.”
They argue that if Proton hands these deactivated addresses to new owners, misdirected traffic could suddenly land in someone else's inbox. "That is a nightmare scenario," writes Brian Fagioli. "Sensitive emails meant for completely unrelated people could start flowing straight to whoever claims the address today.”
Other users support releasing the old addresses, but want the company to limit them to paid users. Others suggest that Proton could introduce country-specific domain names (protonmail.au for users from Australia, for example).
Google has been doing a similar email cleanup, deleting accounts that have been inactive for at least two years.