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Creating a Gmail Account Requires SMS Verification
- jrockway 17y agoYou can still use mail providers other than gmail (which actually provide true anonymity as a service), and you can also buy a SIM card and phone with cash.
- Jimmy 17y agoAs someone who didn't even own a mobile phone until half a year ago (and still doesn't like the idea of them), I don't really like the sound of this.
- jonknee 17y agoAs someone who dislikes spam, I really like the sound of this.
- meat-eater 17y agoIt's been this way for years for most other countries. But the invite method does work and I got my first gmail address via that. However for my other gmail address, I just gave them my mobile number and typed in the verification code I received via sms.
- michael_dorfman 17y agoWhat's with the inflammatory (and patently incorrect) HN title?
- eli 17y ago(it has since been fixed)
- drhodes 17y agoAnyone know if a trakfone will work for this?
- pmorici 17y agoI'm pretty sure it would. You have a number and can receive text messages.
- defrex 17y agoI've actually been toying with doing this rather then email verification and a captcha for a social site. Would you find this more or less annoying then an email loop and a captcha?
- jonknee 17y agoYes, I'd only do it if I trusted the site, but it works far and away better at preventing spam than a CAPTCHA. It seems more annoying to the bad guys than the good guys. To this day it's the only thing that Craigslist has done that has worked. Phone numbers are expensive to get, especially since they block most VoIP stuff. Google around about Craigslist phone verification and you'll read all the spammers having freak out sessions. It's a great way to spend an hour.
- eli 17y agoDefinitely more annoying. I dare you to add "Phone Number" as a required field to your signup (don't even bother verifying it) and measure the change in signup abandonment.
- lionhearted 17y ago> Also, if you know someone who already has a Gmail address, you can ask them to email an invitation to you. I'm taking it at face value as anti-spam.
- pmorici 17y agoI fail to see how this "kills email anonymity" You can get a phone for $10 at any Walmart / Target / Bestbuy activate it anonymously with a number in any area code you want w/o providing any personal information what so ever.
- vincent_vega 17y agoin my country you need to provide identification (that is logged) to buy a sim card that way