1. Google asking me for cellphone number only because I've enabled 2-factor authentication so it does it for every new browser/device. 2. Regarding chats, I th

1. Google asking me for cellphone number only because I've enabled 2-factor authentication so it does it for every new browser/device. 2. Regarding chats, I think it's in cookies, so when you change browsers - the whole QA thing repeats. 3. Google of course wants to know about you more than your mama and spouse combined, but at least some of that pestering experience is due to the fact that Google is prone to employing lousy programmers as much as any other corp. 4. No one is forced to use Google's free services and be put up with begging for personal information so that implies the freedom to switch to any other provider away from Google.