This gets worse all the time!

[Fisherking]

I now find that I can not sign into my email account without giving them my phone number!

I presume this is so they can match the meta data, what ever the excuses given are.

Also please note that the large communications companies and internet companies, like Microsoft and Google get paid from the government for providing them your information.

I am pretty damned fed up with government and their corporate buddies.


Come on SFTS, tell us how we are over reacting and this is for our own good.

[Ronin]

what email provider do you use?
every time I have run across this in gmail for example, there is always an option to opt out of giving your phone number.

[rajpoot]

The mobile number code thing has been around since some while if I'm not wrong. All I've got by putting my number in that box is a code from google everytime I try to sign into my account from a new machine, nothing else. No spam, no ads. So I don't think they're trying to breach your privacy.

[Fisherking]

The alternate means is to link to another email address, also a means of closing a loop but if the alternate address is from the same place, you have to give your phone number to get in to get your "security code".

[Papewaio]

Outside of the privacy issue it is a good way for 2 factor authentication.

[Fisherking]

but they were already linked, so this is something more.

[Husar]

Well, it's good that there are, sorry, were, e-mail services such as lavabit

You're also completely overreacting Fisherking, the constitution was just a guideline, it was never meant to stop an Orwellian scenario since that book wasn't even written yet.
Should be obvious!

[Vuk]

It ticks me off too, since I can no longer use some services because they require a mobile phone #, and I do not have a mobile phone.

[Montmorency]

Why hide? Even if you do "have something to hide", why hide it?

Easier to just slip under their noses. Sometimes nothing blinds men to the particular so much as the apprehension of the whole.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Just use AOL accounts.

[HoreTore]

OH MY GOD


...you mean the evil gubmintz can get access to the same information they'd find in the phone book? Scary.

[Montmorency]

Just use AOL accounts.

Way ahead of you: my main account is still an AIM-domain from 2006.

[Ironside]

OH MY GOD


...you mean the evil gubmintz can get access to the same information they'd find in the phone book? Scary.

I think it's the reverse, by knowing the phone number you can backtrack the e-mail owner. If it's the other way I agree.

That type of confirmation system is old though, I've encountered it back in 04-05. Since I was late an didn't get a cell until 06, that was a bit of a problem.

[HoreTore]

I think it's the reverse, by knowing the phone number you can backtrack the e-mail owner. If it's the other way I agree.

That type of confirmation system is old though, I've encountered it back in 04-05. Since I was late an didn't get a cell until 06, that was a bit of a problem.

I honestly don't see why the government shouldn't be able to tie an email account to a person, just like they can tie a mailbox to a person.

This privacy hysteria is starting to get as annoying as the security hysteria. Be gone both of you, you give me cancer.

[Montmorency]

In fact, with a Universal ID for citizens, tie a state-administered email account to it?

That gets rid of issues with the private companies that provide email domains and all that. Also, no trouble with changing the "official" account. Right?

[a completely inoffensive name]

I honestly don't see why the government shouldn't be able to tie an email account to a person, just like they can tie a mailbox to a person.

This privacy hysteria is starting to get as annoying as the security hysteria. Be gone both of you, you give me cancer.

You give me migraines sometimes HoreTore. Apparently the world you wish to live in is a world of no privacy, rampant sexual hedonism and polyamory and everything is given to you by the government.

OH MY GOD. HoreTore has either never read Brave New World​ or he did. And I don't know which is scarier.

[Montmorency]

HoreTore has either never read Brave New World​ or he did.

I read it when I was 11 and I thought it sucked.

I reread it for English class at 14 and thought it sucked even more.

That is, unless you interpret it as the story of final victory over barbarism.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I read it when I was 11 and I thought it sucked.

I reread it for English class at 14 and thought it sucked even more.

That is, unless you interpret it as the story of final victory over barbarism.

Well how old are you now son?

[HoreTore]

You give me migraines sometimes HoreTore. Apparently the world you wish to live in is a world of no privacy, rampant sexual hedonism and polyamory and everything is given to you by the government.

OH MY GOD. HoreTore has either never read Brave New World​ or he did. And I don't know which is scarier.

Privacy is good, but this privacy wave we're seeing now is getting absurd. It gets in the way of sensible policies, like removing money and switching to electronic payment, because apparently it's super-important to "protect privacy".

But don't get me wrong, I still consider airport security to be a lot dumber...

Also, Brave New World is neither russian or french, nor eritten before the 20th century. Thus, I haven't read it. Though the utopia you describe does sound tasty.... Will there be a ban on hipsters too? If so, I'm in.

[Montmorency]

Well how old are you now son?

I'll do the brave thing and post a photo of myself.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[a completely inoffensive name]

I'll do the brave thing and post a photo of myself.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Switch to contacts, your face just looks silly with the glasses.

[Strike For The South]

Germans using the same keystroke programs

LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL

[Ironside]

I honestly don't see why the government shouldn't be able to tie an email account to a person, just like they can tie a mailbox to a person.

This privacy hysteria is starting to get as annoying as the security hysteria. Be gone both of you, you give me cancer.

The goverment should be able to know everything about your public persona yes, it's the question how deep the protection of a private life should be. Should you be able to have a private e-mail akin to post boxes or maildrops?

More general, I do get the feeling that this will end up with AI:s knowing everything about everybody. Filtering and chross checking through a ton of data feels like their niche and NSA would keep thier data gathering, while making a small privacy concession about their employers using it to check out the ex-girlfriend's new husband.

[Husar]

Germans using the same keystroke programs

LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL
LOL

Not that surprising, a lot of Germans already thought our government is dishonest about this. And they want our own spying to stop as much as yours. The BND hasn't even made a secret about wanting to spy on us more every since the first stuff from Snowden was revealed, I posted it here long ago...
But keep laughing if it boosts you ego.

[drone]

I'm confused. They are using your phone# as an authentification tool, or they just asked for it out of the blue? If they are using it for authentification, they already have it so there is no issue. If they want it otherwise, just lie. I do it all the time with websites and register drones asking for zip codes and phone numbers.

[Fisherking]

No, they want the phone number so they can call and verify that it is you trying to log in. Of course if someone else has hijacked an account and gives a different phone number the account is lost, so how is this so secure.

I didn’t ask for added security. Anything computer plugged into a wall and connected to a phone line can be hacked anyway.

On the one hand I would love to talk to a live rep from the company so I can give them a piece of my mind. But I know it will only be some poor contractor from India or Pakistan on the other end and this is just to tie up lose ends on their meta data tracking.

[caravel]

prism-break.org is a good site with some alternatives: https://prism-break.org/

[Papewaio]

I'm confused. They are using your phone# as an authentification tool, or they just asked for it out of the blue? If they are using it for authentification, they already have it so there is no issue. If they want it otherwise, just lie. I do it all the time with websites and register drones asking for zip codes and phone numbers.

Meh, don't make it up, give them a sex line, your worst enemies, tax line or better still a politicians.

[drone]

Meh, don't make it up, give them a sex line, your worst enemies, tax line or better still a politicians.

If they ask for a zip code, I do give them the one for the White House. For a phone #, I give them Jenny's, but I have to change the cadence of or else they catch on.

[Montmorency]

Hey Pape, what do you think of I2P?