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Banning the entire account rather than AI access is wildly user hostile. People have years of emails and calendars on their accounts. And then you get to fight

by Havoc 1mo ago

Banning the entire account rather than AI access is wildly user hostile. People have years of emails and calendars on their accounts. And then you get to fight the support bots and eventually go to the actual unofficial Google support - asking hn whether anyone knows someone with a pulse at Google.

colkassad 1mo ago
Good argument for breaking up the company.
somehnguy 1mo ago
I haven't touched Google's AI suite due to this. I need to migrate my email away from Google - the stakes are too high. Luckily I use a custom domain so accounts won't need to be updated, just emails exported and DNS changed.
surajrmal 1mo ago
This feels like the sort of thing that needs to be legislated. Banning accounts after breaking ToS is a pretty common behavior across many companies. The fact a Google account ends up being used for multiple products makes it more interesting but the overall problem here is not unique to them.
- account42 1mo ago
  Yes, in general, scale needs to come with more responsibilities, including a requirement to provide due process, not less like it currently does.
wat10000 1mo ago
Big companies are all becoming user hostile these days. They act like the customer is an inconvenience rather than a fundamental part of their business. Every interaction exudes this feeling that your primary role is to serve as an unwanted impediment to money flowing out of your bank account and into theirs.
- mcepl 1mo ago
  And we are not in The Crash yet! Imagine how will they behave when they become desperate!
bingbong4748 1mo ago
My mom’s Gmail account got banned for no reason whatsoever last week. Since then they removed her recovery number and 2FA as they ‘looked suspicious’. Access to nearly 20 years of emails, photos and docs gone in an instant. It’s been particularly painful because she used Google to log in to everything too, including for health records that she needs. There is no way of contacting anyone at Google about it and apparently nothing that can be done anyway. It’s absolutely devastating. They’re still charging her for Google One and she can’t even manage the subscription because she can’t log in. I urge anyone reading this to do a Google Takeout request and make a local backup of all the data they hold.
- exe34 1mo ago
  I have an auto "checkout" every month and I download my data. I don't know if it's readable, I haven't checked, but it feels comforting. My email is also just a private name@domain that forwards to my Gmail. If I ever need to switch, it would be a simple update with my registrar. (I'm aware domains can be stolen too, but I expect to have some leverage as I'm paying for that in the UK.)
  - Terr_ 1mo ago
    > I don't know if it's readable, I haven't checked, but it feels comforting. I've been meaning to get back to tinkering with a Immich on a docker container, as a Google Photos competitor I can self-host.
- mhitza 1mo ago
  I hope this page can provide some guidance in the appeal process https://transparency.google/intl/en-GB_in/tools-programs/reporting-and-appeals/ https://transparency.google/intl/en-GB_in/tools-programs/rep... If not directly through what is offered there, under the DSA (eu citizens and residents) have further ways to appeal their decision, and also Google takeout should be a last option even for banned accounts. If you have any luck post a followup on HN to guide other users having a similar issue.
  - 1mo ago
NewsaHackO 1mo ago
No one has actually had their account banned for this, Google just disables their Antigravity access due to breaking TOS. People just repeat the line that “Google bans accounts” because it’s a bigger headline draw.
distances 1mo ago
Yes, this is why I avoid using my Google account for anything really. Risks from banning are not proportional. It's better to always use separate email logins, and when possible, non-Google services.
scotty79 1mo ago
That's what happens when you let one company do too much and don't break its monopoly in time.

by Havoc 1mo ago

colkassad 1mo ago

Good argument for breaking up the company.

somehnguy 1mo ago

I haven't touched Google's AI suite due to this. I need to migrate my email away from Google - the stakes are too high. Luckily I use a custom domain so accounts won't need to be updated, just emails exported and DNS changed.

surajrmal 1mo ago

This feels like the sort of thing that needs to be legislated. Banning accounts after breaking ToS is a pretty common behavior across many companies. The fact a Google account ends up being used for multiple products makes it more interesting but the overall problem here is not unique to them.

account42 1mo ago
Yes, in general, scale needs to come with more responsibilities, including a requirement to provide due process, not less like it currently does.

wat10000 1mo ago

Big companies are all becoming user hostile these days. They act like the customer is an inconvenience rather than a fundamental part of their business. Every interaction exudes this feeling that your primary role is to serve as an unwanted impediment to money flowing out of your bank account and into theirs.

mcepl 1mo ago
And we are not in The Crash yet! Imagine how will they behave when they become desperate!

bingbong4748 1mo ago

My mom’s Gmail account got banned for no reason whatsoever last week. Since then they removed her recovery number and 2FA as they ‘looked suspicious’. Access to nearly 20 years of emails, photos and docs gone in an instant. It’s been particularly painful because she used Google to log in to everything too, including for health records that she needs. There is no way of contacting anyone at Google about it and apparently nothing that can be done anyway. It’s absolutely devastating. They’re still charging her for Google One and she can’t even manage the subscription because she can’t log in. I urge anyone reading this to do a Google Takeout request and make a local backup of all the data they hold.

exe34 1mo ago
I have an auto "checkout" every month and I download my data. I don't know if it's readable, I haven't checked, but it feels comforting. My email is also just a private name@domain that forwards to my Gmail. If I ever need to switch, it would be a simple update with my registrar. (I'm aware domains can be stolen too, but I expect to have some leverage as I'm paying for that in the UK.)
- Terr_ 1mo ago
  > I don't know if it's readable, I haven't checked, but it feels comforting. I've been meaning to get back to tinkering with a Immich on a docker container, as a Google Photos competitor I can self-host.
mhitza 1mo ago
I hope this page can provide some guidance in the appeal process https://transparency.google/intl/en-GB_in/tools-programs/reporting-and-appeals/ https://transparency.google/intl/en-GB_in/tools-programs/rep... If not directly through what is offered there, under the DSA (eu citizens and residents) have further ways to appeal their decision, and also Google takeout should be a last option even for banned accounts. If you have any luck post a followup on HN to guide other users having a similar issue.
- 1mo ago

NewsaHackO 1mo ago

No one has actually had their account banned for this, Google just disables their Antigravity access due to breaking TOS. People just repeat the line that “Google bans accounts” because it’s a bigger headline draw.

distances 1mo ago

Yes, this is why I avoid using my Google account for anything really. Risks from banning are not proportional. It's better to always use separate email logins, and when possible, non-Google services.

scotty79 1mo ago

That's what happens when you let one company do too much and don't break its monopoly in time.