The rise and rise of Google

[lettersaroundmidnight]

Hi Guys

Disaster has struck. I have been blocked out of my blog and out of my gmail email account unless I provide Google with my telephone number for them to then text or voicemail me a numeric key to unlock the blog and email address.

I am reluctant to do so. Anyone here have the same problem?

If I can not find a way around this I will have to move the blog - but don't know how to do that without first getting back into my blogger account.

I may have to start again with a new blog site but my old one will be left simply hanging in mid air. A great shame as it was really beginning to take off.

I could of course confine myself to posting simply on literotica but I have to say I was enjoying the blog!!!

Any suggestions?

Yours

lettersaroundmidnight

 

[OzoneRed]

Give them the number of Dial-a-Prayer.

 

[lettersaroundmidnight]

great idea, sadly they want my number to either text or send a voicemail message with the numeric key to unlock my blog and email address.

Sorry I should have made that clear in the original part of the thread - I will edit it. I was so incensed that I just fired off the email without thinking it through. :0(

lettersaroundmidnight

 

[OzoneRed]

In other words, they want to know who you are. One of the things I like about the internet is its anonymity. My attitude is that I'd abandon my account before I gave them that information.

Assuming that your blog is still available for viewing, you could of course start a new blog somewhere, and cut-and-paste your old posts over to it. And, assuming that people can still comment on your posts, you can post a comment yourself, informing people where your new blog is.

Other than that, you've got a decision to make...

 

[favoritesgoddess]

This happened to me awhile ago and I know there was a way to opt out, but I have no recollection of how I did it now. I ran into a problem because I don't have a cell phone and they can't text or voicemail me. I want to say there was a button that took me to a different screen where I could tell them that it wasn't going to work and why, but I can't remember what it said. I know it worked because I still have a Google account, so don't give up.

 

[talismania]

This sounds like Google's Two-Step Verification process that it's been unrolling for the last couple of days. All Gmail users will be asked to participate. I was under the impression you could opt out of it, though. I haven't been nabbed by it yet myself.

It's odd they would just lock you down without offering the "click for two-step verification" notice. Definitely complain loudly to Google if that's what happened. Their public notice said this is a voluntary way to protect your account from hacking, not that it would be mandatory.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

If you can't figure out how to to opt-out at this point, and you don't want to give them your number, I suppose you have to ask yourself how much you're willing to pay to keep your blog.

Is it worth a $20 prepaid cell phone?

 

[TxRad]

You can opt out of the cell phone deal and set it up on an e-mail address. I've had several e-mail accounts hacked from China as of late. They are pushing hard so Google shuts down any account they suspect is being targeted and ask for you to change the password. They will also e-mail you the temporary password to another e-mail addy.

All of my accounts have been changed. I'm trying to remember what link I used to do it.

 

[lettersaroundmidnight]

Hi Guys

Thanks very much for your input. I have trawled the two step verification page and have not yet found a way around it. Who would want to hack an erotic authors blog anyway!!!

I tried the cheap pre paid phone but when it came to it I had to register the blasted thing with ... my email address, which has BEEN BLOCKED grrrr.

It is frustrating - if anyone can remember or knows a way around it please please please let me know.

In fact I may Google how to get around it - now that would be poetic justice :0)

lettersaroundmidnight

 

[favoritesgoddess]

Can you do a screen capture of your log-in page? Maybe we'll be able to see a way to opt out of it? I seem to remember the way of getting out of it not being obvious.

 

[TxRad]

Hi Guys

Thanks very much for your input. I have trawled the two step verification page and have not yet found a way around it. Who would want to hack an erotic authors blog anyway!!!

I tried the cheap pre paid phone but when it came to it I had to register the blasted thing with ... my email address, which has BEEN BLOCKED grrrr.

It is frustrating - if anyone can remember or knows a way around it please please please let me know.

In fact I may Google how to get around it - now that would be poetic justice :0)

lettersaroundmidnight

Log out and then back in. That should get you around the screen.

 

[theravenfox]

I just gave them my cell phone number, got the text and verified myself. I have had no problems with strange calls or charges.

 

[SweetMerry]

I've got a google voice mail number, and it can receive texts. I assume you can't get into your google account to set one up. But, if you can set yourself up a brand new google account, then register a google voice number under that account, you might be able to use that number for verification.

Did that make any sense?

 

[colddiesel]

If the US government wins its case against Twitter (to provide details of particular accounts in pursuit of their action against Assange and Wikileaks) nothing on the internet will be confidential... but given current law that was perhaps always the case.

Privacy is dead?

 

[bronzeage]

Hi Guys

Disaster has struck. I have been blocked out of my blog and out of my gmail email account unless I provide Google with my telephone number for them to then text or voicemail me a numeric key to unlock the blog and email address.

I am reluctant to do so. Anyone here have the same problem?

If I can not find a way around this I will have to move the blog - but don't know how to do that without first getting back into my blogger account.

I may have to start again with a new blog site but my old one will be left simply hanging in mid air. A great shame as it was really beginning to take off.

I could of course confine myself to posting simply on literotica but I have to say I was enjoying the blog!!!

Any suggestions?

Yours

lettersaroundmidnight

Okay, google gets your phone number. Then what?

Are you worried they will drunk dial you late at night? I really don't see what the problem might be.

Borrow a friend's phone. The google ninjas will kill your friend and no one but you will have a clue.

 

[lettersaroundmidnight]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the help - I will post an answer to this if I ever find it.

To those who aren't bothered about letting google have their private number good on you. I however want to keep my blog and posts as anonymous as I can. I don't know where the info goes once Google has it. That is my problem.

Regards

lettersaroundmidnight

 

[favoritesgoddess]

I get it. It's the principle of the thing. Everything I've read about it says that it's a voluntary security measure and if you don't want to do it, you don't have to. However, all the articles I've found are very helpful if you want to opt in, but do fuck-all to help you opt-out.

 

[lettersaroundmidnight]

Well guys all it took was a polite email to the support team at Google saying that I was locked out as a result of the two step verification process and that I didn't want to surrender my phone number. They unlocked my account within the hour :0)

lettersaroundmidnight