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The era of 15GB free Gmail storage is ending (Update: Google responds)
(www.androidauthority.com)
this post was submitted on 15 May 2026
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I work with homeless people and I discovered you can no longer make email without a cell phone with any major provider. I can't get them into their social security without an email.
I was able to find an email provider that didn't require a cell phone, but then you had to use a cell phone to get past the verification on the social security site. You are absolutely fucked without a cell phone now.
Thats really twisted. They really want to make not owning a cell spy a crime. Every time I learn something new about Surveillance it makes me more anarchist.
The problem is that it isn't an intentional design decision. It just happens to be the easiest way to add a "cost" to sign-up.
I wouldn't assume stupid is by design. Malice intent can be professional at hiding in plain sight. Just because its the easiest route doesn't mean it can't also be intended for shady reasons. Kind of like how designers forget how to add wheelchair paths for Libraries.
You can try mail.com or gmx.com. They didn't require a phone when I signed up.
The GUI of both of those sites are nearly identical. Are they the same service?
apparently they both will delete your account after 6 months of inactivity. i had mail.com accounts since mid 2000s, and they have deleted quite a few of mines after they made that change(from permanent email before 2020,inactivity to every 6 months), just be warned if you dont use or login, your accts get deleted, they wont help you after that.
They are both owned by United Internet.
i have mail.com, i found that in mid 2000s, before 2021, they use to never delete your account if you dint use it for a while, but now its every 6 months if you dont have activity the account will be deleted. i was initially using that for resume, just a warning if you intend to keep an address and use it once in a while. i had to move some of my stuff back to google around that same time they made changes.
Thank you.
Proton mail doesn't require a phone number
Proton doesn't work with social security website unfortunately. I ended up using Tuta mail but then later got stuck on Login.gov because it required either a cell phone to verify by taking pictures of ID or a desktop with a camera for a video call.
Needless to say this is not something someone with no computer skills can accomplish. What is even worse is the local social security office stopped taking walk-ins. The solution? You guessed it, use the social security site to login and request an appointment....
Can you elaborate on the social security thing? I have lived most of my life outside the States and hope to never need SS, but, well, best to know what's going on just in case.
Apparently they cut a bunch of staff and many offices are by appointment only now. So basically you need to account for this if you are going to file.
Most of the troubles I have had are helping people whom are not technologically savvy and they sometimes don't have a cell phone. Not having a cell phone makes the process extremely difficult because apparently it is just taken for granted that everyone has one nowadays.
You don't need to worry until you are probably 62 which would be early retirement for you. You full retirement would be 67 which just means you get a higher benefit the longer you wait. When the time comes you can always reach out to Social Security and they will explain the process.
Thank you for the explanation.
In order to sign up at the SS website on my laptop so I could get an updated statement, I had to use my phone to take pictures of my ID and myself. It kept failing/dropping. It was a giant PIA. Finally got it to work but I had to attempt a couple different days. I don't know how someone who has no experience with a smart phone and laptop or tablet manages. I think I heard that about 25% SS employees were DOGE'd as well as many field offices closed and it can be incredibly difficult to get an appointment (some are just not staffed), especially if you reside in a rural county. I have to help my husband get signed up on the website and I dread it. He has a very thin frustration threshold with tech he can't get to work. I foresee his phone flying across the room.
The way they're going they'll have increased social instability
Damn it’s like they don’t want the system working at all, that’s so convoluted and unnecessary