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Google users locked out after 15 years' use

businessinsider.com

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Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#231

Post by soco »

eloisant wrote: post #87
soco wrote: post #42

Any usable suggestions on (1) what to do to get out of a Gmail account with many years of history unscathed and (2) how to prepare for disaster with an Android phone?

1. There are several alternatives, but usually not free. One example is protonmail, that I use with a custom domain so I can still switch provider without having to get everyone to change the address they use to contact me. - You can import your emails, but it might not be realistic to import all your history. It's going to take ages and fill up your new account quota. So what I did is first do a cleanup of my gmail…

Thank you! I'm aware most alternatives are paid, also aware that I'm paying Google in other ways for their free service. I became honestly a bit vary about any provider - including ProtonMail - but I guess I can only choose from what is being offered :)

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#232

Post by ksec »

grandpoobah wrote: post #147

This article finally prompted me to do what I should've done a long time ago, which is to create a Fastmail account and begin importing my Gmail into it. I've seen this story far too many times, and no longer will I say "yeah but it'll never happen to me". Setting up the import was insanely easy, and my Fastmail account is now configured to enable me to send using my Gmail address from directly within Fastmail. Plus…

That is why I want something like Time Capsule for our Smartphone ( iOS or Android ).

>Roughley lost data including emails, photos, documents and diagrams that he had developed for his work. "My account and all its data is gone," he said.

Imagine all your photos were in Google Photos and you cant get it any more because you have somehow violated their policy? All the beautiful memories of your boy or daughter when they were young or as a baby.

Imagine the song you make, the video you took.

The Cloud, should be used as an OffSite backup. I should always have the option to have my Data, stored in a box in my house, in my own property. Those who want the convenience of cloud ( iCloud, Google's X ) can do so. But there should always be an option to have your backup not in the cloud. ( And no, iTunes Backup is not that option, it is ridiculously complicated for any average user )

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#233

Post by pgt »

grandpoobah wrote: post #147

This article finally prompted me to do what I should've done a long time ago, which is to create a Fastmail account and begin importing my Gmail into it. I've seen this story far too many times, and no longer will I say "yeah but it'll never happen to me". Setting up the import was insanely easy, and my Fastmail account is now configured to enable me to send using my Gmail address from directly within Fastmail. Plus…

It made me do the same. It was discussed on HN earlier this week re: Google Cloud Print being sent to the Google graveyard.

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#234

Post by pgt »

GekkePrutser wrote: post #153
grandpoobah wrote: post #147

This article finally prompted me to do what I should've done a long time ago, which is to create a Fastmail account and begin importing my Gmail into it. I've seen this story far too many times, and no longer will I say "yeah but it'll never happen to me". Setting up the import was insanely easy, and my Fastmail account is now configured to enable me to send using my Gmail address from directly within Fastmail. Plus…

But even then you have to trust FastMail not to lock you out. Sure it's a paid service so less likely and I'm sure their customer service is better. But it doesn't fix the root issue of being dependent on one party.

The solution is to control your domain's DNS and to keep your own backups.

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#235

Post by drwu »

cutemonster wrote: post #205
timvisee wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recommend to use your own email domain with it. If you're ever locked out or want to switch, you can easily switch while keeping the same address.

What if I forget to renew the domain? Someone else buys the domain after me? And steals all my online accounts? (Pwd reset emails)

You could buy an 'ugly' domain. When it expires, no one would like to take it.

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#236

Post by catovh »

novia wrote: post #202
names_are_hard wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why you need to own your domain. When they lock you out, you setup a new mailbox elsewhere and point your domain to it. That covers new mail. And the archives are still accessible because you've been forwarding mail all along.

you seem knowledgeable, is there a way to do this with every possible email address at your domain? Forward them all to that single other box?

Not op, but what you described is called a catchall address. Easily done with custom domain. Basically a regex for *@domain.tld, every mail sent to (anything)@domain.tld will arrive at a preconfigured mailbox, say admin@domain.tld etc

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#238

Post by cm2187 »

timvisee wrote: post #190
grandpoobah wrote: post #147

This article finally prompted me to do what I should've done a long time ago, which is to create a Fastmail account and begin importing my Gmail into it. I've seen this story far too many times, and no longer will I say "yeah but it'll never happen to me". Setting up the import was insanely easy, and my Fastmail account is now configured to enable me to send using my Gmail address from directly within Fastmail. Plus…

I recommend to use your own email domain with it. If you're ever locked out or want to switch, you can easily switch while keeping the same address.

That’s what I do, along with running my own services. But either you run your own mail server, and the cost and complexity is prohibitive to most users. Either you outsource, and then all your data is still held hostage by a third party provider (though granted, any of the smaller players is likely to have some form of customer service).

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#239

Post by Chilinot »

ksec wrote: post #232
grandpoobah wrote: post #147

This article finally prompted me to do what I should've done a long time ago, which is to create a Fastmail account and begin importing my Gmail into it. I've seen this story far too many times, and no longer will I say "yeah but it'll never happen to me". Setting up the import was insanely easy, and my Fastmail account is now configured to enable me to send using my Gmail address from directly within Fastmail. Plus…

That is why I want something like Time Capsule for our Smartphone ( iOS or Android ). >Roughley lost data including emails, photos, documents and diagrams that he had developed for his work. "My account and all its data is gone," he said. Imagine all your photos were in Google Photos and you cant get it any more because you have somehow violated their policy? All the beautiful memories of your boy or daughter when th…

This is why i have setup one of my linux servers to automatically download all photos and videos from my shared google photo albums each night.

This allows me and my wife to easily share photos of our daughter with each other, as well as have a backup of everything we have locally on my NAS.

Next step is to sync this of to several other storage places in case of cryptolocker or the NAS dies.

Re: Google users locked out after 15 years' use

#240

Post by howlgarnish »

g_p wrote: post #208
btown wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We got this protection with phone number porting eventually. So there’s hope, when government becomes sane again.

An interesting point here actually - number porting was viewed to be core to a telecoms service operator. They have to provide it free of charge as a cost of doing business. Perhaps we need similar for email forwarding - it's clear that the major email platforms (Google, Microsoft) can already handle mail that is simply deferred to another mail server (see partial cloud email transitions). Perhaps we need the same fo…

It's also worth remembering that number portability didn't happen on its own: incumbent telcos fought against it tooth and nail.
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