[benoau]

Google generates nearly $200 billion a year in ad revenue off those users so I don't think depicting them as a charity is accurate.

[JumpCrisscross]

> don't think depicting them as a charity is accurate

They’re not a charity. But they also don’t owe their users for what’s tendered for free.

Where I’d agree with OP is in requiring extensive CS for paying users.

[swat535]

> They’re not a charity. But they also don’t owe their users for what’s tendered for free.

It's not for free, why do you keep repeating this line? Google isn't offering charitable good and services to people.

[benoau]

Whenever a company has hundreds of billions in one hand and an excuse not to spend it it is usually a case of "privatize the profits, socialize the costs".

Ban gmail addresses being used for government services, banking, health, utilities etc if they don't want to dip into the staggering profits they generate off these "free" users to guarantee basic rights and recourse from their own systems.

[JumpCrisscross]

I’d expect Google would love such legislation as it effectively raises the bar on new-entrant competition.

[benoau]

Considering Proton can provide this level of support I doubt it raises the bar very much.

https://proton.me/support/contact?topic=Other

> If you would prefer to contact us without using this form, you can email us at [e-mail]. You can visit this page for more options.

...those more options:

> You can still contact us directly

> All support requests are handled in-house by Proton, but if you have specific concerns and would like to keep your query within Proton Mail (that is, not using Zendesk), you can email us directly at [e-mail].

[JumpCrisscross]

Most of Proton’s users aren’t free.

[benoau]

What makes you think that?

> Yen says that "at least 95%" of ProtonMail users don't pay for any services.

https://www.axios.com/2021/11/09/privacy-business-booming-pr...

[jillyboel3]

where do you think their billions come from?