Gmail's new 'account verification'

[Slytovhand]

I just tried to set up a new Gmail account. Naturally, I have a few, for a few different purposes (mostly either spam, or business related). I like being anonymous!

But now, they want my phone number so they can 'verify' me, so that I'm not a spammer! WTF????

Is Big Brother coming down even more?? Is there nothing we'll ever be allowed to do in private?

[Gravekeeper]

It's Google. They've turned heel and become unquestionably evil recently. They want to know *everything* about you, who you are, where you are and what you're doing at all times so theyc an "tailor your online experience".

Flee, flee while you still can.

[Rapscallion]

Either that or the sheer number of robots breaking their verification methods so spammers can sign up on forums has caused them to take action. If it's only for preventing spam and fraud, I'm for it.

On CS, we generally cull two or three spammers a day (anecdotally). A decent percentage of them are from googlemail addresses. On the DP forums we had to block Hotmail accounts entirely.

Where it leads to is what concerns me.

Rapscallion

[Andara Bledin]

They ask for a phone number, mostly for the purpose of account recovery in the case you ever forget what your password is. It's pretty much the same as asking for an alternate email address.

And it's not a required entry, unlike the birthdate field. You can leave it and the alternate email fields blank without hassle.

I gave mine without a fuss, to be honest (they asked current gmail users when they added the feature). The people I don't want calling me are the ones that there's no legal recourse to get to stop (out of the country bot-dialing spammers).

^-.-^

[Rageaholic]

^^

Yeah, I think it's optional, but it's annoying as hell to have to get a new password just to sign onto youtube. Then when you do sign on, you end up with the annoying redirect telling you to give them your mobile. It's like they're being as annoying as they can without forcing you to sign up for anything.

[Slytovhand]

Andara, the phone number for lost passwords is still there and optional.

The phone number for account verification seems to have come in sometime in the last week. I've opened 2 other accounts with them a few days ago, but this thing is new. And, no, it IS required No phone number - no account...

[protege]

The phone number for account verification seems to have come in sometime in the last week. I've opened 2 other accounts with them a few days ago, but this thing is new. And, no, it IS required No phone number - no account...

There are ways around that--give them the one for information (555-1212), or a certain song by Tommy Tutone

[draco664]

I just tried to set up a new Gmail account. Naturally, I have a few, for a few different purposes (mostly either spam, or business related). I like being anonymous!

But now, they want my phone number so they can 'verify' me, so that I'm not a spammer! WTF????

Is Big Brother coming down even more?? Is there nothing we'll ever be allowed to do in private?

Listen to the Privacy Song, by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie.

So whatever you do, when dey talking to you
For God's sake lie.

Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.
Lie about your income, your age, gender and race.
Spell your name incorrectly, so it's harder to trace.
Lie about your favourite drink, your viewing habits, and the colour of your sink
Make up a phone number, make up a postal code
If we all lie together, then the computer might explode.

[Slytovhand]

There are ways around that--give them the one for information (555-1212), or a certain song by Tommy Tutone

I wish it were that easy... they're sending you a verification code that you need to continue with account opening

[Nekojin]

I'm not sure what's going on with your accounts, Slytovhand, but I created a new GMail account last night, and other than gender and birthdate, everything else was optional (and skipped by me).

[Slytovhand]

I just tried it again (after Nekijin's post), and same thing - entered in the requested details, got asked to provide a phone number for verification.

Perhaps it's getting my IP address, and seeing I'm in China, making that a requirement...???

[Andara Bledin]

It's quite possible it's a regional requirement enforced by China and not Google.

^-.-^

[Duelist925]

It's quite possible it's a regional requirement enforced by China and not Google.

^-.-^

considering the broohaha over google refusing to filter and then capitulating awhile ago...Id bump that from "possible" to "Probable"