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Yahoo Notifies Users Of Their New Names, Launches Paid ‘Watchlist’

Earlier this summer, Yahoo announced plans to deactivate thousands of user accounts that haven’t been in use, and let its actual active users get a chance to have more desirable Yahoo IDs and em...
Yahoo Notifies Users Of Their New Names, Launches Paid ‘Watchlist’
Written by Chris Crum
  • Earlier this summer, Yahoo announced plans to deactivate thousands of user accounts that haven’t been in use, and let its actual active users get a chance to have more desirable Yahoo IDs and email addresses. For example, a user would get a shot at something like [email protected], as opposed to having to use something like [email protected].

    Last month, Yahoo moved forward with its plans, enabling user to create “wish lists” of names they want. The company allowed people to request their top five choices. If it couldn’t give you the first choice, it would try one of the backups.

    Yahoo announced today that it is now notifying users about their new names.

    Yahoo has also launched a watchlist feature for all users, which lets you enter up to five names, and it will notify you if the names become available within the next three years. You have to pay Yahoo $1.99 to use it though.

    Yahoo says that its top three username requests for men have been David, Michael and Alex. For women, they have been Maria, Jennifer and Jessica. Batman and Superman have also been popular choices.

    Yahoo’s move to hand over accounts to active users has drawn some criticism from security experts, but Yahoo insists it’s doing everything it can to protect users.

    Image: Yahoo

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