Internet users, who may have one or multiple accounts through Google, whether they’re for Gmail, YouTube, Blogger, AdSense, or other services, now seem to be forced to give Google their mobile phone number in order to maintain their services.
Surely, the message below has now been seen by nearly all users:
The message prompts users to give their mobile phone number to receive an automated call with a security code to verify their account in order to reinstate it. In the past when account discrepancies arose, Google simply asked for verification through a “recovery” email account. There are no explanations from Google as to why this method has been insufficient enough to now appear to require the mobile phone number of all users.
For many users, Google provides services vital to operating a business. It may be a blog that generates income, a popular Youtube channel, or simply emails that must be answered by professionals. In today’s world, when these services are blocked for even 24 hours, many stand to lose tremendous potential.
It is for this reason that if Google users have no choice but to submit to further personal data forfeiture, it can only be viewed as forced submission, or drop Google services. Because Google has grown so large, if this new requirement becomes mandatory, it will surely affect a large portion of Internet users.
With the recent spate of stories concerning smart phone tracking and lawsuits against Google for harvesting data illegally, forgive us if we view this recent information request suspiciously. This not only means Google will obtain your business phone number, but potentially the ability to track your movements via that data.
I realize these are old posts here, but they are NOT lying. Google is forcing me to reveal a phone number just to access my email through the web. Of course, I’m not going to do it. Here is their message I get, CLAIMING something is amiss (it isn’t) and that they must have my phone number in order to make everything ok. This is an account that I’ve had and accessed (be it rarely) for years. Google has now turned into just another one of Obama’s henchmen
The following is Google’s demand’s for me, without an option to bypass or NOT enter a phone number, in order to proceed and view the email account:
Verify it’s you
Something seems a bit different about the way you’re trying to sign in. Complete the step below to let us know it’s you and not someone pretending to be you. Learn more.
Enter a phone number
Receive via:
a text message (SMS)
an automated phone call
Maybe the reason that all 3rd party email providers (yahoo, hotmail,
google) require cell phone numbers is because the NSA has forced them to
demand this information in order to prevent the anonymous use of
internet communication. Am I being unreasonably paranoid? Honestly, I
considered that, but I really don’t think so. It is also interesting
that this entire issue has not been subject to a public investigation.
Someone should launch a suit, subpoena google execs and force them under
oath, to say whether or not any governmental or quasi-governmental
organization has forced them to demand this information. You think the
revelations by Snowden have told the whole story? Baby, that is very
naive.
This is your “Gawd” speaking. I reject all of this. Your “Gaawd” is half-baked. I reject Google’s charades in my being fully sober. Society has many bugs — it must be debugged. I am drawn to the bugs like one is drawn to catchy memes. Google’s a real bore. But, I must ask, can a fly bore through glass?
-Trust me!
I have had my Google account for a long time. But a couple of days ago, I could not gain access into my account because I had to verify my phone number. This is unacceptable. It is an invasion of users’ privacy! And no, will I give Google my phone number. If they want more internet users to use their engine, they will have to give us our rightful anonymity. Because of Google’s nosiness, I am considering moving on to another engine.
Until this new law stops, I will not use my Google account. However, if it does stop, I will definitely resume to using Google.
No, it is never safe to give your personal details (home address, phone number, workplace, school. etc) to an online site. This can give them the authority to dive into your private information when you don’t know it. Spams could be sent to your phone and random people could be calling you. My cousin gave her number to Google and ever since, she was receiving unexpected phone calls (from strangers) and spams on her phone. Luckily she was able to get a new phone with a new number. YouTube is linked to Google(you must have a Google account in order to have access to YouTube) , so they would probably do the same thing.
Here is how to overcome this nightmarish situation. One step – very easy. At least it has always worked for me. I have several gmail accounts. When logging in, on more than one occasion, google will throw up a window asking for a cell phone but that page will have a “skip this” link on it that will let you out of it. But sometimes they throw up a page that does not have an escape route. My experience has been that this type of page is less common. But it will show your recovery email that you gave them and then it will say “add a phone number” while giving the pitch that this is all about helping you to recover a gmail account where you may have forgotten your password, etc. And it will not allow you to proceed until you submit the phone number. Here is how to overcome it. Hit the back button on your browser and it will load your gmail account. Simply refuse to enter the number and hit the back button. It has worked every time for me. I have not, however, ever tried x-ing out of the browser and trying again. So if the back button does not work for you x out of the page and start over. These are automated systems and from my experience they do not ask you for the phone number every time. Yet they may get more demanding on this in the future. If they do – I’ll dump gmail and go to a differing service. They are NOT getting my phone number.
I know this is an old thread, but I found it trying to figure out how to sign up for either Yahoo or Google without a cell phone #. Both sites want phone numbers. You have the option to request a call instead of SMS message (so a land line is OK by them…how generous of them!), but both sites reject a Pinger (text free web) # as well as anonymous online numbers like Laser VM. Yahoo lets you skip the number, but after you prove you’re not a robot, it asks for the # to send you a verification code (so it comes “full circle” after letting you think you’re off the hook). I wondered about people who genuinely have no cell phone (or land line of their own) due to unemployment, perhaps living in a shelter, renting a room, etc. but then I remembered “Obamaphones”…so even those without full-time housing or an address are on the grid! It’s RIDICULOUS. Get the tinfoil…I need to make my hat.