[Dylan16807]

Because that hit you by surprise, or because you intended to keep all those photos while on the free tier?

It seems to me like deleting the files over your storage limit is the easy path for both you and google and I don't see how this is an example of holding you hostage. At most bad communication and a lack of warning.

[10729287]

Don't remember exactly but I was expecting not the two services being linked. IIRC I already downloaded back a lot of pictures and my free plan was something like 99% full. The fact that Google blocked my email reception without any notice was hard to swallow.

[bornfreddy]

Yes and no. It's more like google held them hostage and then just shot them without a request for ransom. It is the easy path though, I agree.

[Dylan16807]

If you stop paying for data storage, the default is you should expect it to be deleted.

If there was a problem with insufficient warning, that's a problem, but not a hostage problem.