I also tried to log into an old gmail account. After I successfully verified my identity, gmail's final screen asked for a new phone number. My account never ha

I also tried to log into an old gmail account. After I successfully verified my identity, gmail's final screen asked for a new phone number. My account never had a phone number; it wanted a new one. It wouldn't let me access my emails if I didn't acquire a phone and give them its number. I was glad that I didn't care about the emails in that account, or I would have no choice but to accept. It really opened my eyes that google was willing to hold my emails hostage. Google's roadblock was unrelated to security, because an attacker could provide a new phone number too.