[veidr]

Is creating a google account more arduous than before? I've created dozens of them (including for my kids, where I had to be less than truthful about their age), and I have never had to provide an — OMFG I HAD NOT EXPANDED THE "If you're in the EU..." LINK!

:exploding_outraged_and_bewildered_head:

OK, you are right, this is governance done wrong.

[nobody9999]

>Is creating a google account more arduous than before?

Not sure about in the EU, but here in the US I cannot create a google account without providing a telephone number "for security."

That's certainly different (not more arduous, but more privacy invading) from when I created other Google accounts some years back.

[agolliver]

I just created a new Google account in the US without providing any personal details whatsoever.

[nobody9999]

That hasn't been my experience of late.

In fact, I just tried again and was asked to "verify my phone number."

Perhaps you created such an account with your phone?

In which case, Google already has that information.

[raxxorrax]

I also like to not create an account because I enjoy non-profiled search. I dislike getting served the same mush over and over. But that is just a preference.

But yeah, the real problem is that we got age filter no. 4523.

There are alternative ways, but this should work for anyone currently affected:

https://githubmemory.com/repo/zerodytrash/Simple-YouTube-Age...

I think this implementation of the EU AVMSD forces users private data to be more likely to be exposed.

[joconde]

> I also like to not create an account because I enjoy non-profiled search. I dislike getting served the same mush over and over.

You can disable Google's activity history, which includes YouTube videos watched. That should prevent personalised recommendations: https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy

I disabled everything and can confirm that I only get garbage recommendations about things I've never watched or searched for.

[raxxorrax]

That is true, but I don't think there is a necessity of having an account (aside from the EU forcing age checks) and I don't really want Google drawing conclusion about my viewing behavior either. I don't believe these options will prohibit Google from profiling you.

[joconde]

Definitely, it only disables the client-visible effects of tracking. But I don't think one can avoid the hidden part by watching without a Google account either.

[boring_twenties]

Isn't it technically against the terms of service to have multiple accounts?

In which case, sure it might work for now, but at any point Google can decide to just lock you out of all of them.

[throwuxiytayq]

Even if not, creating more accounts increases your exposure to Google's faulty moderation infrastructure, multiplying the probability that all of your accounts get banned. Probably nonlinearly, since more accounts under same address makes you look more like a bot.

[gizmo686]

https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en-US

I don't see anything regarding multiple accounts.

[hermes8329]

Isn't it technically against?

Who cares if it is

[rendall]

> Isn't it technically against the terms of service to have multiple accounts?

No.

[zelon88]

The sites you use every day behave differently in different parts of the world.