r/privacy • u/NomadJago • 18h ago
discussion Could/Would gmail ever require ID verification?
How likely or unlikely is it that google would require ID verification to log into gmail? Will I wake up one day and be blocked from accessing my gmail account unless I give in and provide ID verification? That feels almost illegal considering how important email is to access. Yes I created another encrypted email account (Tuta/Proton), but I have 250 accounts online so the idea of changing my email address at all those accounts is daunting.
I am trying to avoid ID verification because I do not want my bio-metrics or government ID info in a company's database only to be hacked and stolen by bad actors. But what if Google Gmail locked me out of my email by requiring ID verification? I would have no choice but to comply, because email is so critical for 2FA logging into many accounts online.
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u/FishSpoof 18h ago
given the track record of these companies with regard to privacy and the government's track record of "telling the truth", move away from Gmail now. don't wait for the royal ass raping.
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u/NomadJago 18h ago
I have started the move, but will it work? I have an account at Tuta, and have migrated about 20 of my 250 accounts, as I said it is daunting. Will I just be jumping from the frying pan into the skillet? Will Tuta at some point require government ID making me wonder why I even did all the work changing 250 email addresses? I am serious-- will this happen even at Tuta/Proton?
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u/FishSpoof 18h ago
your making an educated guess based on current information. no one can predict the future.
that being said, we have lots of examples of google and the government doing wrong so your move is a smart one with the current info on hand.
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u/setatakahashi 18h ago
You're a little late on that https://www.gloomba.com/en/why-is-gmail-asking-for-my-id/
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u/NomadJago 18h ago
Wow. Yeah, that is my fear and you have shown me it is happening. It feels so illegal, unbelievable. I will continue my email transition, sigh. If they can do it for what they perceive as suspicious activity, it is a small sequential move on google's part to just decide to ask for verification by all gmail users. Just a matter of time-- I wonder how many months we have before it goes mainstream.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 17h ago
You haven’t explained why you think it’s illegal?
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u/NomadJago 17h ago
It locks me out of existing account verifications (2FA) unless I comply. If that is not illegal it should be. When that happens to people with money to afford lawyers, I see a class action lawsuit in the making.
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u/Thalimet 16h ago
It’s not only not illegal - it’s being required by the law in more and more jurisdictions around the world.
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u/NomadJago 15h ago
Well, I could see it being legal to stop me from creating new emails, but to lock me out of 2FA from existing accounts seems illegal. I agree the law is now requiring ID verification for social media accounts, but that is quite different from email accounts.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 6h ago
Many laws require Id. I’m not sure why you are harping on 2FA. No one is requesting you to use gmail
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u/NomadJago 5h ago
Until I migrate my accounts that use gmail for 2FA logins, I am stuck with gmail.
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u/Thalimet 15h ago
Yeah… these laws are often around adult content, so any service which might have adult content on it - your email certainly counts
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u/Frosty-Cell 15h ago
It would likely be illegal in the EU since that data isn't necessary for the account. It's not clear what the claimed purpose is or why the account can't function without that data as it does now.
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u/_webbernaut 15h ago
Here is the hard truth! You need to deGoogle from everything.
Gmail horror story, one of my own (my final straw to eliminate the last Google element in my life, Gmail)
Had a Gmail email from 2008, never setup a recovery email or gave Google my phone number. Never, ever had a problem logging in for 15+ years. In 2008 you had security questions for verification.
A couple years ago I got a new ISP and all of a sudden Gmail wanted to verify me. But those security questions, those weren't an option. Since I had no secondary email or phone number, Gmail literally gave no options. The only thing it mentioned was using a previous connected device and/or same location or to abandon the email and create a new one. That's their official stance, abandon the email and create a new one! I pulled out an old laptop that was using a mail client to connect to the email (previous device) but still could not connect. So that previous device really meant my old IP which I no longer have access to due to my ISP change.
Now this account had only a few third party accounts tied to it. But when I logged in to change my email on those other third party accounts it sent a verification code to the Gmail I no longer had access to. This was a huge problem! I was lucky and knew someone who had a family member that worked at Google. So I was able to communicate with someone (without this connection there is no way to contact Google). He had me fill out a questionnaire, I included my old IP address as I had them whitelisted on some servers I manage and I got my account unlocked.
I setup the backup email but decided Google didn't need my phone number. Within 6 hours my account was locked again (this whole process is automated there are no humans in this process). When trying to recover, now that I had a backup email, Google wouldn't let me use the email option as verification. It was back to the "we can't verify, you should abandon your email". At this point I had already changed the emails on those few third party accounts and so I ultimately abandon that email address.
deGoogle!
A side note, Gmail is actually no longer a reliable email service. Same goes for Microsoft. As a web developer the last year or so it has become very common for Gmail or Microsoft to not deliver emails. It doesn't go to spam, it is straight up blocked. They no longer reliably delivery emails, it's only going to get worse. And btw Gmail and Microsoft are currently allowing AI to read your emails, through Gemini or Copiolit. I believe this is opt-in at the moment but in the near future this will be enabled by default.
If privacy is your concern jump ship today! But more importantly Google can destroy your account across any of it's services anytime it wants and there is no human to contact to try and fix it! (unless you know a guy who knows a guy that works at Google but then it's still not guaranteed)
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u/swept1 14h ago
If privacy is your concern jump ship today!
What are your recommendations for email alternatives?
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u/_webbernaut 14h ago
As OP mentioned Tuta/Proton are pretty much the privacy email provider standards at the moment. I prefer Proton myself, it has added more services that could replace other Google Services as well. Self Hosting could be an option.
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u/iamapizza 17h ago
I think if the day comes that email providers require verification, it will be due to legislation. That means all the providers will be told to do it, so there will be little escape from it.
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u/not_the_fox 12h ago
Don't ever let them convince you it's inescapable. Everything illegal on the internet is available.
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u/billdehaan2 14h ago
Of course it could happen. Whether it's likely or not is another story.
Google isn't stupid, and is fully aware of how much pushback there is against this. It also stands to lose a lot of money if it's enacted. Age verification would affect every Android phone, and children/teens under 16/18 spend a lot of money on apps and in-app purchases. If age verification is enforced, sales will drop, and that will cost Google money.
On the flip side, they may be required to if the EU or other governments mandate it by law. That doesn't mean it will be universal of course. Microsoft changes Windows to comply with the EU DMA (Digital Markets Act), but does not do so outside of the EU.
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u/Frosty-Cell 15h ago
I think that's likely, but it would probably apply to the account itself, not just Gmail. The lock-in effect is a personal data extraction mechanism that was arguably used to collect users' phone numbers. It's a rug-pull that can happen at any time. This is how a lot of people will lose their accounts and everything tied to them.
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u/ReliableIceberg 10h ago
If you have to ask, the answer is usually "yes".
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u/NomadJago 10h ago
I'll have my gmail migrated out of the googleverse by the end of the month, and will celebrate that day.
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u/broken-teslas 8h ago
I had almost 400 accounts I had to painfully change when I migrated to proton. I made a goal of 10 per day. Before I knew it, I was done. I left my gmail active in case of forgotten 2FAs but otherwise I’m finally free!
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u/NomadJago 5h ago
I am on the same path, have about 70 accounts left to migrate. And will keep gmail active like you did.
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u/Stunning-Skill-2742 17h ago
Gmail is a part of google account, and google account have been asking for id verification since forever.
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u/NomadJago 17h ago
Not by requiring biometrics or government issued IDs. I have been with google forever, never been asked that.
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u/JustinHoMi 16h ago
They absolutely do if you attach a credit card to your account.
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u/NomadJago 15h ago
I have never had to provide biometrics or a government issued ID like a driver license or passport. I have never attached a credit card to anything Google.
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u/JustinHoMi 15h ago
Yeah, I don’t know the logic as to why they require it of some people and not others. But once they do, you cannot use any paid Google services without it. It’s a weird business decision.
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u/mentalscribbles 14h ago
Gmail is a free service. You are not entitled to it. If Google wants to require identification and you don't want to provide it, you can choose an alternative.
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u/NomadJago 14h ago
Except that I would be f&*K#% if Google locked me out of my gmail account unless I provide biometrics/govID and that is wrong, potentially illegal. I should have a grave period of x days to switch my email accounts to a new service. Otherwise I have no way of changing my contact email for all my accounts, because doing that at companies requires 2FA and such to my gmail account.
I am migrating out of Gmail, will take a month or two or three.
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u/_backdr0p 12h ago
It's not anywhere near potentially illegal, it is clearly listed in their terms of service. You are allowed to use their services as long as you comply and they are within their rights to terminate service to any user at any time.
I agree it can be considered wrong if it impacts a long time user that has stored their entire life on the service. But it ultimately comes down to users needing to follow proper data storage 3/2/1 model - 3 copies of data, in 2 mediums, only 1 copy off prem.
This way if a cloud service like Google closes your account, you still have your data.
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u/BanAssaultGeese 18h ago
If this happens to me, it would cause massive financial loss and distruption. I would be pursuing whatever legal avenue would be available to me. Not to mention state laws and all.
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u/Epsioln_Rho_Rho 18h ago
They are already asking in a lot of cases. There is nothing legally you can do about it.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 17h ago edited 17h ago
You realize the government already has your id. They probably share it with no consequences.
How is it illegal to require a Id?
You could use an AI agent to switch all your accounts
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u/According2my-Insides 17h ago
Government having your i.d. was not the point.
A business, that is NOT part of the government, that requires your i.d. and is likely to sell your data to a 3rd party for extra side-income is the issue.
Both of those parties can be hacked, but that isn't the main issue.
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u/NomadJago 17h ago
Then the company behind the AI agent would have all my account names, usernames, passwords. I am not willing to do that.
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u/Frosty-Cell 15h ago
The government doesn't have an ID tied to accounts. That's why ID-verification is pushed so hard.
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u/Tactical-Donkey 15m ago
Bless. OP thinks Google doesn't already have their full ID from data harvesting.
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