At first they changed it so you need to touch your account once every 30 days to keep it active. Using the automated updater counted as touching it.
Then they changed it where the automated updater didn't count anymore, so now you needed to log in manually every 30 days.
Once I didn't get their email, and they purged my whole account. I had to recreate it as a new account, and by now they had severely restricted the list of domains that were available for the free service, so I couldn't get the old domain back.
I realize it was a free account, and what not to do with gifted horses, but sending you an email every 30 days and purging your account if you don't click on it within a very short window is a little too annoying for me.
In a way this step now is more honest. If you don't want the free users, don't offer the free service.