Privacy issues abound as many users ask if Google has gone too far.

Google wants my cell phone number to “Verify my identity”. Yet there is no good explanation as to why my identity is in question. Not that I am without resources, what if I don’t have a cell phone or a telephone. I have a few friends who are deaf and they discarded phones and use the internet to communicate. Is Google trying to discriminate or pry into our privacy? I’m frankly disgusted by this invasion of privacy for free e-mail option. I have no idea what Google would want with my phone number but I have no doubt that it will be used for something other than “verification”.


They warn if I don’t give them the information my account could get hacked or suspended. This is a lame scare tatic technique. What exactly are they trying to verify? That I’m a human and not some type of spam bot? There are simple programs to test for that sort of thing. Are they worried I’m making multiple accounts? IP address verification is good for that. I’m not one of these people that are paranoid about big corporations, but this is Google overstepping it’s boundaries. It is a privacy issue, because sometimes websites get hacked. My company gets hammered all the time and information – like your phone number – could be leaked. Google is telling me if I don’t give them my phone number ”BAD things could happen”.


No sweat, there are many sources for e-mail. You have a choice, tell Google to shove the free email up their collective rectums. I have enjoyed Gmail and now it is bad enough they want to horn in on Twitter, Bing, and Facebook (G+). Now they want my numbers? I know what you are saying, but Alan it is just a phone number. Yes, and your social security number is just a number, so is you bank account, drivers license, etc.. We use these to identify us where it really counts. Do you really want to trust Google and all its employees with all the information?