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Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

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Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#21

The biggest problem is being treated like a criminal rather than a customer. I’ve dealt in the small business space for a long time and we never deprive a user of their data even if we end up hating each other. Western governments need to start acting on behalf of the people. Break up big tech and bring the hammer down on companies that usurp a persons lifelong data archive and refuse to give them a copy. I have Goog…

Criminals are at least told what the charges are, and theoretically given a venue to contest them.

It's easy to imagine police using the same excuse as Google: "we can't reveal exactly what you did wrong, since that would compromise our methods to catch criminals". If it wasn't for the fact that we aren't used to that "just being the way it is" in that case, we would probably shrug and accept it, too.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#23

> My photos since I was a baby till nowadays (23 years of images), my niece's photos since she was in her mom's womb, my essential files, ALL passwords, reminders, and google login accounts. Everything is gone! > my google play account with my apps, my google extension developer with my extensions, my google AdMob with all of my unpaid revenue, firebase, google analytics, and google search console... I’d like to appl…

The lesson we've all learned from Google is that it's too many digital eggs in one digital basket.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GDPR applies to residents of Europe. That said, I've never had a problem using it from the US.

I think it was never clear if residents of EU included people with citizenships but are currently located outside. So it would be safest to honour all requests rather than risk it.

GDPR is very clear -- EU citizens living outside the EU are NOT covered. US citizens living in EU are covered. That's not uncommon for laws; I don't get a ticket for breaking US traffic laws in the EU, or vice-versa. Very few laws reach across borders like that (taxes, some forms of child abuse, some forms of bribery, child support, arms trafficking, some types of military service, espionage, etc.).

However, as the other poster pointed out, from the perspective of a tech vendor, understanding the difference between:

- EU resident

- EU resident using a VPN in the US

- EU resident traveling in the US

- EU non-resident living in the US

For each request which comes in is practically intractable.

GDPR is also framed as a basic, universal human rights law. That also can have unintended tentacles. If you don't want a liability hole, it makes sense to honor GDPR for everyone, in practice (even if not under your ToS).

Practically, that's what everyone does. I've never had a GDPR request declined on the basis of residency (the last qualification being important).

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#25
post #20
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lost my email password which i haven't logged in for 10+ years (but had forwarding setup so i was receiving emails still). As a googler, i thought, surely, i would be able to get support to recover my account Little did i know, they did nothing :)

While I was a googler I got very frustrated while trying to help a friend regain their old YouTube account that they knew the password, email, and phone number associated but because they did not still have access to that phone number the automated system didn't let them log in with the password the system confirmed was correct. Absolutely no traction gained despite trying multiple different avenues to get help.

Yeah, I was able to briefly get access to an account that was stuck in the infamous "thanks for proving you own the recovery email but we still can't determine you are the owner of this account" loop by contacting a friend at Google. However, shortly afterward the account went straight back into the state it was before so it is basically a lost cause.

Scary to think that algorithms override even Google insiders when things break.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#26
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it was never clear if residents of EU included people with citizenships but are currently located outside. So it would be safest to honour all requests rather than risk it.

even if you live outside of your country, you typically still are considered a resident of the country of citizenship, because to declare you a non-resident someone would have to prove that you aren't still registed as resident or don't don't have a home there any more and are not going to go back any time soon, which you could do any day.

This is incorrect.

There are complex laws governing residency which vary country-by-country. It's not atypical that, for example, if you spend 183 days in a year somewhere else, you're no longer a resident.

You're generally only a resident in one country. This governs taxation -- taxes are primarily based on residency, with some caveats. As a US citizen living in the EU, you will not pay the same US taxes as you would if you were living in the US, and in many cases, zero taxes.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#27
post #15

I've said this before and I'll say it again. It should be illegal to fully ban accounts. Figure out how to make them readonly. That's the only ban type that should happen. Yes, even if there is illegal content. If you really have to, quarantine the illegal content, but keep the rest of the account available. Unless the failure rate is literally 0%, there should never be a permanent full ban. Apply this to companies o…

This is absurd. Don't entrust an online service with the only copies of important data if you don't want to lose it. Even in the most statist society imaginable, making it a criminal act to 'fully ban' a user from a 'service' is barely even definable, let alone feasible or desirable.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#28
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

even if you live outside of your country, you typically still are considered a resident of the country of citizenship, because to declare you a non-resident someone would have to prove that you aren't still registed as resident or don't don't have a home there any more and are not going to go back any time soon, which you could do any day.

This is incorrect. There are complex laws governing residency which vary country-by-country. It's not atypical that, for example, if you spend 183 days in a year somewhere else, you're no longer a resident. You're generally only a resident in one country. This governs taxation -- taxes are primarily based on residency, with some caveats. As a US citizen living in the EU, you will not pay the same US taxes as you woul…

but that's why i said typically.

to change your status of residency, proof would be required.

and it depends who is asking. maybe i don't pay taxes as a resident, but for visa purposes i may still count as resident in my home country.

this is relevant now as china allows people only to enter by direct flight from their home country or country of residence. this is really messing with people who have their family in a third country. they have to make a detour to their home country if they don't have a residency visa for their family's country.

also if i go travelling for a year, i don't loose my residency status unless i stay somewhere long enough to establish residency there. that is, if i have a visa that allows that.

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#29
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is incorrect. There are complex laws governing residency which vary country-by-country. It's not atypical that, for example, if you spend 183 days in a year somewhere else, you're no longer a resident. You're generally only a resident in one country. This governs taxation -- taxes are primarily based on residency, with some caveats. As a US citizen living in the EU, you will not pay the same US taxes as you woul…

but that's why i said typically . to change your status of residency, proof would be required. and it depends who is asking. maybe i don't pay taxes as a resident, but for visa purposes i may still count as resident in my home country. this is relevant now as china allows people only to enter by direct flight from their home country or country of residence. this is really messing with people who have their family in…

Proof is not required. In the US, for example, you file taxes on an honor system.

If you've lied, there are periodic audits, and you might get thrown in prison.

I assume you can lie going to China. If you do and get caught, you'll probably never be welcome to visit China again (or fines, or prison, or some other consequence; but most countries would just keep you out).

Re: Google Account has been disabled because of a Python code

#30
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

but that's why i said typically . to change your status of residency, proof would be required. and it depends who is asking. maybe i don't pay taxes as a resident, but for visa purposes i may still count as resident in my home country. this is relevant now as china allows people only to enter by direct flight from their home country or country of residence. this is really messing with people who have their family in…

Proof is not required. In the US, for example, you file taxes on an honor system. If you've lied, there are periodic audits, and you might get thrown in prison. I assume you can lie going to China. If you do and get caught, you'll probably never be welcome to visit China again (or fines, or prison, or some other consequence; but most countries would just keep you out).

Proof is not required

it always depends on who is asking. this whole subthread is about who the GDPR applies to. in your other comment you lay that out very clearly: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31397369

the relevant question is: when do i loose my status as a resident of the EU if i am an EU citizen. i'd like to make the claim that the intent of the GDPR is to protect the people who are inside the EU at the moment the data is collected.

even if i just leave for a week as a tourist, and then use some non-EU service, the GDPR no longer protects me. it is unclear if the GDPR still applies if i registered with that service from inside the EU and they know that i am the same person that's now accessing the service from outside the EU, but as you said, the easy thing to do is to just assume that the GDPR does apply until there is a clear benefit from being able to not apply it, and in that case the company needs to show evidence that i am not an EU resident. on the other hand if i sign up for a service outside and continue using that service after i return to the EU, protection should start from the moment i come back.

my point is that this is meant to be not the legal residence status, but simply your location at the time, unless you happen to be in the EU only for a short visit, in which case the GDPR is not going to be of much use (it might still apply though. can i visit the EU as a tourist and then issue a GDPR data request or deletion or whatever other benefit the GDPR offers, and then go back home after issuing the request?).

which is different from getting an EU domain. there it matters that you have the legal residence status regardless of your location. if you have a multi year residence visa, you won't loose your EU domain just because you spent most of that time traveling outside of the EU. you'll need to return your EU domain only after you permanently leave the EU. (which every british resident had to do)

I assume you can lie going to China

you can't lie, they want to see evidence that you are a resident or they won't let you board the plane. consider that the point is to control infection vectors and they want to avoid people transiting through high risk areas. so this is not to punish people but to prevent the virus from spreading and if in doubt, they won't let you in.

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