# Gmail Disabled from Use on Holiday **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333 "2010-09-10T21:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/21 "2010-09-13T15:04:10Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@drachillix](#): > > > > Seconded, Google is pretty much one of the most upstanding net companies WRT shitty behavior like selling off your info. Not gonna happen. > > Don’t care. I don’t give out private unlisted information that isn’t necessary. > > Tell you what, give me your credit card number. I’m a good upstanding guy who would never abuse it, I _promise_! Double-dog swear on my dead grand-daddy’s grave, cross my heart and hope to die. > > No? You’ve never written your cell phone number in an email from your Gmail account? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/22 "2010-09-13T15:17:10Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > > > Unfortunately some people are downright paranoid about their personal information. Do you know the real truth of it? Someone having your phone number isn’t a very big deal at all. > > We have really good reasons for keeping our phone numbers and addresses private and unlisted and it has nothing to do with “paranoia”. I bet it’s annoying when Google calls and your whole stomach buzzes. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/23 "2010-09-13T15:41:51Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > > > Unfortunately some people are downright paranoid about their personal information. Do you know the real truth of it? Someone having your phone number isn’t a very big deal at all. > > We have really good reasons for keeping our phone numbers and addresses private and unlisted and it has nothing to do with “paranoia”. Then why are you using sending and receiving your email using the webmail application from a giant faceless corporation that you don’t trust? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/24 "2010-09-13T16:08:24Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > You’ve never written your cell phone number in an email from your Gmail account? Nope. Not my address either. For stuff like deliveries it’s my office address and phone number (which has an extension and doesn’t work for the Gmail thingy which is done by robot). > [@beowulff](#): > > I’m sure the secret service would be happy to give you yet another identity… Actually, it’s not even an issue about _my_ identity. The issue is with family members in law enforcement and CPS. My aunt’s family has never had their address listed in a public directory because (due to an unusual last name) there was such a real risk that some very angry person would show up on their doorstep. It was highly discouraged for _any_ of her colleagues to allow their addresses to be publicly listed for that reason. Her office was fire-bombed in the late 1980s. In the mid-1990s her husband died, and some of us were listed in the newspaper obit:“… he is sadly missed by Nephew Cellphone and Niece Cellphone…” and my sister and I (and possibly anyone who shared our much more common last name) started getting threatening phone calls at all hours of the day and night and there was some property damage at my sister’s place. (They’re pretty sure it’s one particular person, but there’s not much they can do about it.) Our land line is under my wife’s name and is unlisted. The cellphone is unlisted. > [@J\_Cubed](#): > > Then why are you using sending and receiving your email using the webmail application from a giant faceless corporation that you don’t trust? :rolleyes: Because nothing in my email is likely to cause the above issue. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/25 "2010-09-13T16:58:27Z")
[XKCD](http://xkcd.com/792/) Both obligatory and apt. ETA: the punchline, not the setup… ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/26 "2010-09-13T17:02:16Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > [XKCD](http://xkcd.com/792/) > > Both obligatory and apt. > > ETA: the punchline, not the setup… Wait, was that for the “Email Hacked” thread and how important it is to use different passwords? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/27 "2010-09-13T17:05:43Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > > > [XKCD](http://xkcd.com/792/) > > > > Both obligatory and apt. > > > > ETA: the punchline, not the setup… > > Wait, was that for the “Email Hacked” thread and how important it is to use different passwords? No, the Google punchline in relation to the OP’s concern ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/28 "2010-09-13T17:10:45Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > > [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > > Wait, was that for the “Email Hacked” thread and how important it is to use different passwords? > > No, the Google punchline in relation to the OP’s concern I never expressed much of a concern about Google being evil, I just do not give out my unlisted number. I do object however, to the way that Gmail dealt with the issue. I wasn’t being offered an alternative and that really pisses me off. It also pissed me off that with the request there was no clarification of their privacy policy WRT the way they use SMS. That was something I had to search for. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/29 "2010-09-13T17:50:49Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > I do object however, to the way that Gmail dealt with the issue. I wasn’t being offered an alternative and that really pisses me off. It also pissed me off that with the request there was no clarification of their privacy policy WRT the way they use SMS. That was something I had to search for. I have to think that it is time for you to purchase (and run?) your own email server. They are providing a free service, as others have said, and you are not happy. So you are getting what you pay for. I recommend using Gmail for internet orders and throw away addresses but buy a real service and tailor it to your needs for a real email address. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/30 "2010-09-13T18:03:29Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > > > No, the Google punchline in relation to the OP’s concern > > I never expressed much of a concern about Google being evil, I just do not give out my unlisted number. I do object however, to the way that Gmail dealt with the issue. I wasn’t being offered an alternative and that really pisses me off. It also pissed me off that with the request there was no clarification of their privacy policy WRT the way they use SMS. That was something I had to search for. I didn’t mean to imply you actually thought they were evil, I just thought the cartoon was funny and somewhat on point. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/31 "2010-09-13T18:23:44Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I didn’t mean to imply you actually thought they were evil, I just thought the cartoon was funny and somewhat on point. Oh, OK. I was starting to feel a little under attack. I’m not sure why people think it’s sooooo weird that someone doesn’t volunteer confidential info when prompted by a robot. It’s not even that big a deal, although I found it super annoying that I had to jump through hoops to get to the non-phone alternative. > [@Disheavel](#): > > I have to think that it is time for you to purchase (and run?) your own email server. > > :: ka-chop :: > > I recommend using Gmail for internet orders and throw away addresses but buy a real service and tailor it to your needs for a real email address. I do have and use private email on a secure server. My Gmail account _is_ the “throw-away” account I use for stuff like newsletters, on-line orders, my baseball schedule, Craig’s List etc. It’s also the account used for family members that I _know_ will send glurge, and the one I use traveling when I’m on unfamiliar computers. Just because I use it for unimportant things, doesn’t make it any less annoying when I get locked out and can’t access the unimportant things, like my baseball schedule or the status of my Craig’s List sale. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333/32 "2010-09-14T01:49:41Z")
I just don’t see why not having your phone number listed would stop someone who was actually bad enough to do more than threaten. Also, the reason people made a big deal out of it was that you got all fussy about it when people were just trying to help. You attacked drachillix, so Martin Hayde attacked you. That’s the way it works around here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-disabled-from-use-on-holiday/553333.md?page=1)