The Google Takeover

I go to log in to a Photobucket account I have registered through a Hotmail email address. It says something to the effect of "We no longer accept emails registered with hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Odd. Ok fine.

I go to log in to Youtube, old account, registered with a Hotmail address. "We no longer accept accounts associated with Hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Stranger, but fine.

I go to download an app for my phone, Android, from market place. "Please first sign in with your Google account". That's where I draw the line.

What in the world? Anyone else experience this?

Originally posted by ValentineWiggin
I go to log in to a Photobucket account I have registered through a Hotmail email address. It says something to the effect of "We no longer accept emails registered with hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Odd. Ok fine.

I go to log in to Youtube, old account, registered with a Hotmail address. "We no longer accept accounts associated with Hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Stranger, but fine.

I go to download an app for my phone, Android, from market place. "Please first sign in with your Google account". That's where I draw the line.

What in the world? Anyone else experience this?

It's true about the takeover - Google owns ALL of these services.

You should also be aware that the Android operating system is a product of google...hence it's requirement to sign in.

reply to post by ValentineWiggin

"Please first sign in with your Google account".

Goggle has become self aware
And hates Bill Gates
Goggle probably does not like apples either

Cran

Originally posted by freakjive

Originally posted by ValentineWiggin
I go to log in to a Photobucket account I have registered through a Hotmail email address. It says something to the effect of "We no longer accept emails registered with hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Odd. Ok fine.

I go to log in to Youtube, old account, registered with a Hotmail address. "We no longer accept accounts associated with Hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Stranger, but fine.

I go to download an app for my phone, Android, from market place. "Please first sign in with your Google account". That's where I draw the line.

What in the world? Anyone else experience this?

It's true about the takeover - Google owns ALL of these services.

You should also be aware that the Android operating system is a product of google...hence it's requirement to sign in.

I did NOT know that. Thank you for that information. This makes me want to really dig into their new privacy policy with a vengeance.

reply to post by ValentineWiggin

I looked at getting a youtube account a few years ago here in Holland. Even back then a google (mail) account was a compulsory part of the registration process. So, no youtube account for me. I guess they are just making it consistent worldwide now.

Originally posted by ValentineWiggin
I go to log in to a Photobucket account I have registered through a Hotmail email address. It says something to the effect of "We no longer accept emails registered with hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Odd. Ok fine.

I go to log in to Youtube, old account, registered with a Hotmail address. "We no longer accept accounts associated with Hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Stranger, but fine.

I go to download an app for my phone, Android, from market place. "Please first sign in with your Google account". That's where I draw the line.

What in the world? Anyone else experience this?

I switched to google because Yahoo's homepage is a joke. Yahoo tries to cram so much into the homepage that I can't find anything. Google has very little, and I like that. Hey, I'm old and simple minded. If I want news or games or whatever, I'll go get them. I don't need them shoved in my face.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by ValentineWiggin

 

I looked at getting a youtube account a few years ago here in Holland. Even back then a google (mail) account was a compulsory part of the registration process. So, no youtube account for me. I guess they are just making it consistent worldwide now.

I think the major downfall of this entire thing, Google, Facebook, etc and their new policies is that it silences the people who are smart enough not to buy into their crap. I mean just think about it, who are the most likely people to avoid these services because of these privacy issues? People who are awake and aware. It's a relatively genius way to stop important information from spreading to the masses via Social Networking.

I've heard other people talking about similar issues with Google. I've seen some new questions but if I remember there was a way to opt out.

I can't believe anybody uses their real name, phone, address or any other information with Google or Yahoo or whatever. Why would you?

I have a gmail account and when they asked my name I literally used John Doe. It was a few years ago but still don't give them your real name!!!!

I don't have a cell because of the cost, tracking, brain cancer, subliminal messages and overall fact that they are more trouble than they're worth. But that's just my opinion.

Peace.

i dislike google but its almost impossible to get away from the stranglehold they have on the web

I tried to create a Facebook account with a fake name. It wouldn't allow it, popped up and said "You must use your real name". Ok, wtf, how do they know my real name?

reply to post by ValentineWiggin

Yup, to say these sites are offering basically free services it makes one wonder where all the money is really coming from. Facebook for example is supposedly "worth" at least a few billion, I vaguely remember reading that Bono of all people is a major shareholder and him celebrating his new found success by owning a chunk of it. I guess they do have subscriptions for more advanced features but I still don't see how they can truly generate that kind of money, or "worth".

It's also a part of their business model too I guess, offer something for free and make money somewhere else. The "where?" might be an answer we don't want to hear.

ETA I should also add that my ISP mail account let's me store something like 750MB of mail in it, something I will never get. Having a google account just to be able to sign in somewhere else seems a bit of a feeble excuse and I don't need another mailbox.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by ValentineWiggin

 

It's also a part of their business model too I guess, offer something for free and make money somewhere else. The "where?" might be an answer we don't want to hear.

That honestly sends chills down my spine. Something is amiss..

reply to post by ValentineWiggin

Well, I don't know about google but I read official docs detailing the price structures for LEO access to internet data. Due to all those nice new rules they can basically "capture" all your traffic and store it for later analysis. LEO pays more for access to that data than you do per month for the service. I think I saw an amount of 80-100 US Dollars for access to yahoo customer info. For that amount though, LEO got it all. All emails sent and received since the monitoring had been started, all Instant Messenger traffic, all websites visited and probably a couple of other things I forgot.

All ISP's are blackboxed these days. I don't even think they need the court order and possibly get the data for free now too. The doc's I read were from around 2001 I think. What's even worse is that we can't really do much about their traffic-sniffing ways or detect it. I am far from expert in Deep Packet Inspection techniques though.

The thing that really bugs me about this new media crapola is that it is becoming expected that you have accounts. I don't care of it's your local newspaper or public library, some company you do business with, EVERYBODY is saying "Follow us on Facebook."

Well, I don't do Facebook. I don't do MySpace. I don't do Twitter. (And I don't text and I don't chew!) When I say that people seem to have the idea that I'm not "with it." That's by choice. I don't want a prospective employer eyeballing my personal life. I mean, it's cool if you want to do it, but it shouldn't be uncool if you don't.

reply to post by schuyler

Oh very well said. Now, have you ever tried telling someone you don't have (I try to avoid telling the "or want" part) a mobile phone? People look at you like you just arrived from another planet or are missing a life-support unit.

I am preparing myself for the jump to having a non-mobile phone. I really want to do it, but I'm still hanging on. What is safe anymore? I mean...my browser is google...now all my accounts are google related...Google essentially knows every.thing.about.me. What's a girl to do? Are there alternative options or is privacy just non-existant

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by schuyler

 

Oh very well said.

Now, have you ever tried telling someone you don't have (I try to avoid telling the "or want" part) a mobile phone? People look at you like you just arrived from another planet or are missing a life-support unit.

Well, shucks. We have them, but the funny thing is, we don't keep them on. My wife's boss keeps telling her she can't get a call if she doesn't have her phone on. My wife just says, "The phone is for my convenience, not yours. If you want me to have a cell phone always on, then buy me one and pay for the account." Yeah, she's got a lot of cajones to say that, but she's 2nd in command of a 300 person joint and irreplaceable, so she can get away with it. It's free long distance and we use it for ourselves, like at Disneyland because I absolutely REFUSE to go into "It's a small world" with our granddaughter. Call me when you're done. I'm going to get myself some f'in ice cream!

Originally posted by ValentineWiggin
I go to log in to Youtube, old account, registered with a Hotmail address. "We no longer accept accounts associated with Hotmail, please associate your account with a Google account". Stranger, but fine.

Youtube is owned by Google, they want users to use Google accounts. Not strange at all.

Originally posted by ValentineWiggin
I go to download an app for my phone, Android, from market place. "Please first sign in with your Google account". That's where I draw the line.

Android is owned by Google, users have always had to use a Google account. Even less strange.

Can't comment on photobucket, I don't think it's owned by Google but I could be wrong. I'm a big fan of Google, I don't actually mind them slowly taking over. I just hope it's for the right reasons and they leave some room for the little guys.

reply to post by ValentineWiggin

You could try VoIP (Voice over IP (Internet Protocol)) as an alternative to a land line from a regular telco. A landline costs 20 euros a month here, but VoIP just 5. I plug a telephone directly into my ADSL modem, configure a few details and can call or be called from anywhere in the world and the rates for international calls are usually a lot cheaper. There are many VoIP providers worldwide but as I use my ISP''s service I can't point you at a specific provider.

I also am a "no space book" guy , no twit,, hate my cell but need it for business.
And feel google has totally invaded my privacy as a free surfer,

However, I always knew THEY dont let US tangle in the old spider "WEB" for our own pleasure ..

Sure wonder who the big spider planning us for dinner is.