>>>If anyone was so idle as to read my blog, you may have to find some other pastime. The google has behaved very suspiciously, claimed "unusual activity on my account" and basically denied me access to it (includes gmail, blog and some things in a calendar - the panoramio and youtube I have already cleaned up, i.e. deleted). The ransom is my cell phone number, to which I strongly feel the google is not entitled. They offer a well hidden alternative (two pages away, link looks like a policy explanation but actually leads to password help), but there it claims that they don't have my other email in the database. Well I have their email from nine years ago sent to that address, and I don't believe a google can lose data. They may have too much, but never a lack.
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>>>Which is all fine and dandy, they can do whatever they want, but if they want my cell phone number, they can shove it, I'm voting with my feet.
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>>>Whether the blog will reappear elsewhere, I don't know. I'll think about it.
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>>Why don't you get a payg number for that. I have other mobile numbers like that and they cost me nothing except the initial credit which lasts for years.
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>I don't feel like wasting money on the google, really. They already have enough. And maintaining one separate phone just to please them is not the trouble I'm willing to go through. If they're willing to spy on everyone, that's their choice, I'm not helping them.

Isn't a lot of life about jumping through hoops to get what you want. facebook are always offering to improve my security if I give them my mobile number but I don't and if they made it hard to use without the number I'd give them a junk one. meantime i can use it to stay in touch with family and friends at no cost to me..