[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.