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Dear Googles: Stop asking

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Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#11

Post by ancarda »

The main issue is Google will only drive a small minority of it's customers/'products being sold' away. If you have a problem with Google's current approach, you may want to consider leaving, not to "stick it to the man" but to not have to deal with their services anymore.

I recently deleted everything on my account (G+ & YT included) and it feels great to be free from the constant harassment. I only have Gmail active now. I'm still looking for a new mail provider but once I have one, my relationship with Google is over as far as I'm concerned.

It really depends on how much you need to use Google's services.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#12

Post by charlus »

I complied with everything they ask and they no longer bug me really. But still Google+ is unusable, it constantly uses 40% of my processor just to have that tab open in Chrome/Linux. Facebook runs lovely in comparison.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#14

Post by shittyanalogy »

The whole phone number thing is an attempt to solve a very hard problem.

Most people have terrrrrrrrrrrible password practices. Absolutely abysmal. And they are keeping extremely sensitive data inside their email as well as using their email address as the key to accessing many other websites and pieces of sensitive data. Think about how screwed you'd be if you lost access to you email address. Now think of how many people DAILY probably loose such access. Phone numbers are an easy, mostly reliable way to identify someone and give them access back to their email address without an investigation and without human intervention.

Plus, let's just get reasonable for one minute here. Google already has your phone number. Ever given it to someone via gmail? Someone else ever given your phone number to one of their friends through gmail? They're just asking for permission to send you a text.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#15

Post by _delirium »

antonius wrote: post #6
colinbartlett wrote: post #4

Google has become this unwieldily beast that doesn't care how frustrated its users become, because it knows not enough of them will leave to have even the slightest dent in their revenue.

In the case of YouTube, I agree. What good alternatives are out there that have even half the content that YouTube has?

Vimeo is on par or ahead for artsy original content, but pretty much focuses only on that niche, so there aren't many music videos for popular music, tv show / movie clips, or any of the rest of the stuff you find on YouTube.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#16

Post by waterlesscloud »

antonius wrote: post #6
colinbartlett wrote: post #4

Google has become this unwieldily beast that doesn't care how frustrated its users become, because it knows not enough of them will leave to have even the slightest dent in their revenue.

In the case of YouTube, I agree. What good alternatives are out there that have even half the content that YouTube has?

For general video use, nothing beats YouTube.

It's interesting, though. In Hollywood, Vimeo seems to be the default choice for professional work. Up and coming directors have their short films and reels up there. And there are some password-protected videos top pros use for work on very big name films.

It's weird how markets segment like that.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#17

Post by kansas »

True. It is beyond sickening. Recently it forced me to upgrade to Google + when i try to login to gmail. Upgrade?

That was the only choice in the whole page. I have to close the browser session and come back again. I really dont know what to do. Got sucked in. there is no way around. Soon i will get the courage to move out.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#18

Post by fallinghawks »

I am asked for a phone number most times that I actually log into mail (which isn't all that often since I just sleep the computer). Youtube is a travesty, though.

After the recent upgrade, it did ask twice to turn on Talk for SMS messaging. I said no both times and it hasn't asked me since.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#20

Post by ghaff »

shittyanalogy wrote: post #14

The whole phone number thing is an attempt to solve a very hard problem. Most people have terrrrrrrrrrrible password practices. Absolutely abysmal. And they are keeping extremely sensitive data inside their email as well as using their email address as the key to accessing many other websites and pieces of sensitive data. Think about how screwed you'd be if you lost access to you email address. Now think of how many…

Yeah. The problem is that pretty much whatever they do--and certainly whatever they do that is practical at low-cost scale--is subject to criticism. In this case, it's the phone number thing. But try out these other headlines:

How I lost access to my Google account and couldn't get it back

How a hacker compromised my Google account with social engineering

etc.

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