Gmail Wants Your Phone Number

Just in case no one else noticed ... Gmail's not letting you have an account anymore unless you provide them with a phone number they can track you down with.

I usually create a throwaway account when signing up to a website that just has to know who you are. Tried it today and couldn't get past the phone number requirement.

I wonder why ... after all these years ... somebody finally decided to enforce that.

a reply to: Snarl

there's plenty of web mail sites that don't require any real info. but fact is if your service provider is pushed by law enforcement, they'll cave and give them your name.

I bet they have a brand new government contract to help i.d. everybody in the world.

originally posted by: Snarl
Just in case no one else noticed ... Gmail's not letting you have an account anymore unless you provide them with a phone number they can track you down with.

I usually create a throwaway account when signing up to a website that just has to know who you are. Tried it today and couldn't get past the phone number requirement.

I wonder why ... after all these years ... somebody finally decided to enforce that.

It's an attempt to cut down on spam, also part of larger efforts to make the internet less anonymous.

Could be your mac address signed up for too many throw away accounts.
I've never felt the need for more than one throw away account.

Is it truly infringing on your privacy or is it for two factor authentication?

Additionally this was in place at least as far back as 2010, webapps.stackexchange.com...

originally posted by: samkent
Could be your mac address signed up for too many throw away accounts.
I've never felt the need for more than one throw away account.

They're throw aways for me. I can never remember what they are.

Good point on the MAC address. Will have to check that tomorrow. Thanks.

originally posted by: opethPA
Additionally this was in place at least as far back as 2010

I don't know, brother. I got away with a couple in the past month or so. They might be stopping me based on my MAC (as samkent alluded to).

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: opethPA
Additionally this was in place at least as far back as 2010

I don't know, brother. I got away with a couple in the past month or so. They might be stopping me based on my MAC (as samkent alluded to).

Yeah for me or really for easy to find web persona I have no problem I buy into the Google ecosystem and accept what that means.
G Voice number, location history, whatever.

Like anyone that understands Infosec though I have another Interwebz side that would be just as bothered and annoyed at giving my number as you are and when im using that i dont.. =)

If I can slip the area code past them, I always give them the White House's phone number: (202) 456-1111.

originally posted by: Snarl
Just in case no one else noticed ... Gmail's not letting you have an account anymore unless you provide them with a phone number they can track you down with.

I usually create a throwaway account when signing up to a website that just has to know who you are. Tried it today and couldn't get past the phone number requirement.

I wonder why ... after all these years ... somebody finally decided to enforce that.

Didn't Snowden leaks show that Google allowed the NSA to leech google backbone raw data? So then gmail would also be completely compromised, unless a person uses encryption that hasn't/can't be cracked, but then they probably have that taken care of as well. And like all arrogant, out of control/no oversight government bodies like the NSA, or especially the NSA, they kept right on doing it when they said they weren't.

Oh, and the NSA probably paid google a sh^t ton of cash and probably pay them every year for letting them piggy back all their data and customers in the false name of national security. (The NSA's national security, not the people's)

originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
if your service provider is pushed by law enforcement, they'll cave and give them your name.

No need for that, really. They provide the information as a routine 'donation' and then write it off for tax purposes.

I'm not kidding.

a reply to: Snarl

Now I know why my ISP and a few other providers have been asking me to 'revalidate my details."

Incidentally what happens if you give a false phone number?

Not to sure about this OP. I created a gmail account for a not so tech savy friend of mine just a couple days ago and as with yahoo, you can 'skip for now' on the phone number.

I find it hilarious that they claim them wanting my number is for my own protection.

a reply to: SteeBoo

i find it hilarious that this " issue " invokes such paranoia

Just buy a spare SIM card for £1. Give 'em that one.
They locked me out of an account & the only way I could recover it was with a phone number.
Luckily I has a sim lying around.

a reply to: Snarl

You could also try using a program like CCleaner to delete your browser cache and temp files and then try sign up again.

This has worked for me when setting up a secondary Facebook account when I tried using Tinder a while back. FB kept asking for a phone number to verify the new account. After using CCleaner, I was able to create an additional account without any problems.

Note: Make sure you have backed up your passwords as well as any web pages you need (which are not bookmarked) before using the application. The purge will get rid of them if you have certain boxes ticked.

originally posted by: SteeBoo
I find it hilarious that they claim them wanting my number is for my own protection.

Probably because 2 factor authentication is a valid form of Infosec and many times that 2 method is sending a txt to a phone when a token , hardware or software based, is not an option.

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: Snarl
Incidentally what happens if you give a false phone number?

You don't get the activation code.