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Ask HN: Why Are There So Many 10 Minute Email Sites?

If you Google “10 Minute Email” there are at least a dozen sites that all purport to do the same thing. Why? Is this it’s own identity scraping scam guised as identity protection?

mastermedo 5y ago
No idea, but I too want to know. Following.
handmodel 5y ago
I don't think so? I've used temporary email sites to sign up for other sites I didn't want permanent accounts for. There are also dozens of websites that host regular e-mail, convert movie files, are color pickers etc. It's a relatively basic service that gets used by a large amount of people
tony-allan 5y ago
I think a reasonable portion of the usage is by people concerned about their privacy. There are plenty of websites that want your private data to view content but you are not yet sure if you want to become a regular user or if they will sell your data. Most websites just want to give you a great experience or to offer you something that you value and may even pay for in the future. I have signed to plenty of those with my real email address. On a separate note, Apple's Hide-my-email (and similar) services may reduce the need for these websites in the future.
- latexr 5y ago
  > Most websites just want to give you a great experience or to offer you something that you value and may even pay for in the future. Despite being selective, I find “most” of the current web to be a pile of dung whose sole concern is to monetise users, experience and value be dammed. I wouldn’t even say most try to give you a good experience, let alone a great one. There are good websites with positive goals, but I’m doubtful they are the majority. Am I reading too much into your use of the word, or is that really what you believe? If the latter, would you consider expanding the thought?
Raed667 5y ago
I use them exclusively for one-shot websites that force me to create an account. I have always thought their business model was ads based.
throwawaynay 5y ago
Very simple:domains get blocked very often on a lot of sites where a lot of people want to use them, so there is a big demand for making new domains all the time.(and it's more like few hundreds/thousands of sites) for some sites I had to try like 10 differents mails
latexr 5y ago
> Why Because they are useful, but the more well-known they become the likelier they are to be blocked by whatever website you’re trying to use. Hence a regular stream of new domains is necessary for them to keep working. > Is this it’s own identity scraping scam guised as identity protection? The whole point of those websites is for you to not have to give your real data. At best they get the same fake information you give the original website, so I don’t imagine it would be a particularly effective scam.

If you Google “10 Minute Email” there are at least a dozen sites that all purport to do the same thing. Why? Is this it’s own identity scraping scam guised as identity protection?

mastermedo 5y ago

No idea, but I too want to know. Following.

handmodel 5y ago

I don't think so? I've used temporary email sites to sign up for other sites I didn't want permanent accounts for. There are also dozens of websites that host regular e-mail, convert movie files, are color pickers etc. It's a relatively basic service that gets used by a large amount of people

tony-allan 5y ago

I think a reasonable portion of the usage is by people concerned about their privacy. There are plenty of websites that want your private data to view content but you are not yet sure if you want to become a regular user or if they will sell your data. Most websites just want to give you a great experience or to offer you something that you value and may even pay for in the future. I have signed to plenty of those with my real email address. On a separate note, Apple's Hide-my-email (and similar) services may reduce the need for these websites in the future.

latexr 5y ago
> Most websites just want to give you a great experience or to offer you something that you value and may even pay for in the future. Despite being selective, I find “most” of the current web to be a pile of dung whose sole concern is to monetise users, experience and value be dammed. I wouldn’t even say most try to give you a good experience, let alone a great one. There are good websites with positive goals, but I’m doubtful they are the majority. Am I reading too much into your use of the word, or is that really what you believe? If the latter, would you consider expanding the thought?

Raed667 5y ago

I use them exclusively for one-shot websites that force me to create an account. I have always thought their business model was ads based.

throwawaynay 5y ago

Very simple:domains get blocked very often on a lot of sites where a lot of people want to use them, so there is a big demand for making new domains all the time.(and it's more like few hundreds/thousands of sites) for some sites I had to try like 10 differents mails

latexr 5y ago

> Why Because they are useful, but the more well-known they become the likelier they are to be blocked by whatever website you’re trying to use. Hence a regular stream of new domains is necessary for them to keep working. > Is this it’s own identity scraping scam guised as identity protection? The whole point of those websites is for you to not have to give your real data. At best they get the same fake information you give the original website, so I don’t imagine it would be a particularly effective scam.