[vital_beach]

edit to add I agree. the comment below is just how I think it would actually turn out.

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Avoiding the SSN issue, I think this still comes down to either forcing 3rd parties to host email accounts or gov hosting said email accounts. The former leads to "free" but not free email (like TurboTax) with the former or an outright loss in privacy with the latter.

[vladvasiliu]

I get the privacy implications, but I'd say it may not be that big of an issue in practice, if we consider that these accounts would mainly (only?) serve to contact the government.

There's of course the price issue, but that's the case in both situations (3rd party and gov hosting). Of course, at least in France, the government isn't known for always making the best choices cost-wise...