Don’t Mess with The Google

I'd say I'm surprised that Google would lock you out of your own data despite their claims that you still own your own data, but Google has repeatedly demonstrated that this is not the case. I would be surprised if any of these users get their data or their accounts back without involving a lawyer, based on prior examples. The author says they've contacted the EFF, and hopefully the EFF will offer assistance.

This is one of the biggest problems with these vertically-integrated ecosystems, your entire online life becomes managed by a single company, which can revoke your access at will, effectively deleting your existence from the Internet. Don't be the sort of person who falls for this. Get a domain you control, direct mail from it to a mail service controlled by a different company than the domain. Make sure you have a contingency for issues with either one. Ideally make sure neither of those services are run by Google.

with us giving google more and more of our data, this is scary.

Is a ToS rule like that even legal? This comes a bit more from copyright law, but the US has the "right of first sale"[0] which guarantees individuals the right to sell works they purchased to someone else. I can't imagine this protection would be weaker on physical purchases.

Additionally, Google's Terms of Service also says you own your data, including IP rights: "You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours."[1] I would question if refusal to grant users access to download their own data could be considered theft.

Of course, IANAL, but if I were any of these people, I would seek the opinion a real one immediately.

[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine [1]http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

This really seems like it needs to be regulated in law. For telephone companies, there are rules about when they may disconnect you, e.g. the Arizona Utilities Division write

> f I am unable to pay my entire bill, what can I do to maintain local dial tone?

> The Arizona Administrative Code specifically states that a telephone company may not disconnect a customer for failure to pay an unregulated portion of their bill. To maintain local service, you must pay for the regulated (landline) charges on your telephone bill while you work to resolve problems with the other portion of your bill. If you fail to pay the unregulated charges on your bill, those services may be subject to disconnection and a deposit to reestablish. (R14-2-509)

> How much notice does a telephone company have to give before disconnecting service?

> A telephone company is required to give 5 days advance written notice before disconnecting service. (R14-5-509 Section E)

In this case, Google killed people's email without any prior warning, and in retaliation for an unrelated business transaction (selling smartphones). Having your email disrupted like that is at least as bad as getting your phone cut off.

Willing to bet if any of them were Google Fi or Google Fiber customers, their phones would be cut off as well. Of course, much of their fight with AT&T over pole attachment rights has been Google's unwillingness to be classified as a "telecom"[0]. I suspect Google is very unwilling to be held to these sorts of legal responsibilities.

"Basically, the current regulations require companies with utility poles in the public rights of way to provide access to certified telecommunications providers and to TV/cable companies," Paul Lewis, assistant manager of telecommunications and regulatory affairs in Austin, told Ars. "Google is not a certified telecommunications provider, and it's a video service provider as opposed to a television/cable company."

If Google were to apply to the Public Utility Commission of Texas to become a qualified telecom, "It would make them subject to all of the state and federal telecommunications regulations," Lewis said.

[0]http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/12/why-att-says-it-c...