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Long ago, I allowed Gmail to access my AIM account, somehow granting everlasting permission for Google to login to my AIM account, so it seems. I've found a few notes around the web about how to break the connection, but they are all out-dated. I even changed the AIM password, but when I login again with say Adium, the connection is re-established. I'll need to test, but I don't believe it is a client thing as much as Google simply having been granted permission to connect. That is I'd be on the first login to google, it would re-establish the association.

How do I permanently dis-associate, disconnect Gmail and AIM?

As of Thursday, June 23, 2011 I am still looking for a solution to this. I'm shocked that somehow Google is logging into my AIM account despite me changing the AIM account password multiple times now! NONE of the tips on the internet provide a solution because Google has apparently removed any reference to AIM connection management.

I'm willing to sacrifice all of my reputation points and maybe a bonus of a few dollars to anyone that can provide a solution because it is causing a distracting number of messages to come into my chat client. Adium is double-listing new messages and opening new windows for double-listed buddies. That is, I have Adium configured to connect to both AIM and Google because of my diverse buddy lists. I would have continued to only connect Adium to Google, but Google doesn't always relay messages properly. Sometimes, it doesn't properly list when my buddies are online. Or it does show them online, and when I send a message they don't get it. So, connecting to Adium to AIM works, but I also have to maintain connection to Google... hence double-listings and double-messages.

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  • Have you tried looking in account settings (of google) then either connected accounts or Authorizing applications & sites or View data stored with this account (only commenting as these are wild stabs in the dark) – Matt Jun 23 '11 at 15:24
  • Thanks for responding Matt. Yes, I have. I'm hoping I'm just overlooking something, but I don't believe I am. I've been perusing the web for a couple days now. Carefully following other folk's advice and the connections just are listed anywhere. Each time someone suggest something or I find a new comment about it, I go back and double-check, but no luck. – Michael Prescott Jun 23 '11 at 15:27
  • So basically your using a chat program to save you running two processes and your AIM messages are been sent by both google and AIM? (just trying to clear it up in my mind). If so have you tried using pidgin as a workaround (I have both my msn and two google chats linked to mine, but you can group people into one person if you give them the same alias so example@gmail, example@msn become one under an Alias u assign) – Matt Jun 23 '11 at 15:33
  • I have not tried Pidgin. I gravitated to Adium for Mac a while ago and love it. I maintained a single connection to Google, and Google connected my AIM and gTalk buddies and a single address book there, and worked well till now. When Google started dropping messages to my AIM buddies, I opted to just create a new Adium connection. That's when I discovered this problem. I don't believe it is Adium related because I removed both connections in Adium, shut it down and went over to just Google. Google reconnected to AIM even after I cleared cached and changed AIM password – Michael Prescott Jun 23 '11 at 15:37
  • @Micheal have you seen link – Matt Jun 23 '11 at 15:40
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Ok, thanks to Matt for a reference to this solution. If anyone followed our comments above, and encounters this problem, you'll see we're not crazy. Google really doesn't list AIM connections for all of you AIM buddies. There did used to be a way to sign in and out of just AIM. Now they've half-way made semi-permanent connections to your AIM account through your individual contacts. Again, it isn't thorough and there are two ways to clean it up. I'm still baffled by how Google is logging into my AIM service, but the following tells how to avoid getting double-messages and double-buddy listings if you are using a client that connects to both AIM and Google.

So, login to your Gmail account and access your contact list. If your contact has a AIM username, listed at the bottom of the details, click on the textfield. You'll see a small trash can icon appear. Clicking it does nothing. You first have to clear the text field. Now with the text field empty, click the trash can icon. Sign in and out of chat. If your buddy disappears from the chat list you're good. If not then you will need to completely delete the contact. Sign in and out of chat. If your buddy is still listed, click on the name then view contact details. This will take you to an unlisted contact. That is a blank contact that isn't in your address book, but only has your buddy's AIM info. Delete this contact. Your buddy should be gone now. If not, then I don't know what else can be done. I'm certain that there is a hidden authorization policy between AIM and Google services and don't know how to break that. There isn't anything listed at AOL or at Google. So, I'm guessing that Google is still logging in in the background and capture communications, but at least removing the contacts will stop the double-messaging and listings.

Oh and a few minutes ago, my supposition was proven. Google just started notifying me of authorization requests for every AIM contact that I deleted. So, despite removing them Google is still connecting to the AIM services.

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Try to log into AIM, then go to settings ( http://www.aim.com/.settings ), then remove gchat from your third party accounts.

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In Gmail go to "Other contacts" in the left side menu. It should display all the imported AOL contacts and you can delete them all.

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If you synced all contacts, you will have to manual edit each contact within Google.

Reference link.

(I’m adding this post so I can get some credit for the answer—Mike’s gives the full info.)

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Eric Griffith from PC Magazine opens deleting advice for AOL/AIM with: It used to be a running joke how hard it was to cancel an AOL account. That company hung on to customers as tightly as Scrooge with a ha'penny. Users had to call, fax, and threaten lawsuits to be cut loose. (That torch has been passed on to Comcast.)

But goes on to say (14 Mar 2017): Now, whether you've got a free or paid account, it's relatively simple to get free of the former "America Online." and gives this advice:

If you've got a paid account, first cancel your billing to convert it to free. Once you do that, visit AOL Help, click the My Account link (under the icon at upper right); on the next page, click Manage My Subscriptions . You'll see a Cancel link under the type of AOL subscription you have. Even if it's just an AIM account used for instant messaging, you can delete it with a click and a confirmation.

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