Converting something that is promised as free, and especially after years of use into a paid service is extortion (the act, though not the crime). We're all so

Converting something that is promised as free, and especially after years of use into a paid service is extortion (the act, though not the crime). We're all so complacent with terrible service from everything that we keep giving passes to very profitable companies that completely don't live up to some of the most basic principles of service provision. Gmail is essential to many people now, changing accounts is like changing phone numbers... The attitude of allowing Google to simply shrug whenever they break promises, security, rules, and standards sets the bar for the entire tech industry. They should be held to a higher standard. Their search and so many other things are tied into a very profitable network of information harvesting that can easily become weaponized against us all, it didn't start out that way at all. Just the ideal of them phasing out their slogan of "Don't be evil" was a huge sign of how they pivoted from promises to preying upon people. It's not a minor flub, it's calculated and quite irresponsibly conducted profiteering.