I am trying to access an email from my early twenties for nostalgia and archival purposes, and I know my username and password but the old email I used for recovery is with a now defunct provider. I attempted to purchase the domain of that provider, but it’s registered to a domain reseller and I offered up to $200 with no response, and even that amount seemed absurd to me.

Following all of Google’s docs, I saw there was no avenue via Google to access the account without that recovery email. There more I thought on it, the more it seems like a policy that fails a smell test of human decency. Here is an exchange I am having on the Google community page:

https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/166498610?hl=en

Interestingly enough, a prime reason I am trying to access this email is to complete my process of “De-Googling” (if you are interested, I can tell you about this experience; I am near completely degoogled now and have a nice, secure alternative in place) I want to archive all my Google data to my own servers, then remove the data from Google. Getting access to these loose ends gives me closure and peace of mind. I find it scary that a third party can have access to information about me, in this case thousands upon thousands of lines of my writing and exchanges, then simultaneously deny my access — even when I have all the authentication methods required when the initial “contract” of use was established.

I think all of us need to take a bit more care when it comes to user data. These are more than just products and services; these are people’s memories. People with wants, needs, joys, fears, and a whole range of experiences. Technology and processes should do their best to offer value while minimizing suffering invoked. They should augment the human condition, not diminish in. In a case like mine — which is uncommon but not unprecedented — I entrusted a service believing I would have access to it with a username and password. I had an understanding ofthe risk profile with that and was okay without 2fa. The provider changed the contract without my consent and in doing so, has cut away my memories offloaded from my brain to their service. There is something here that feels really wrong.

Sidenote:

If this seems complainy or ranty, I apologize to your senses. I don't see it that way; if I did, I would not be posting. If you do feel that way, I'd like to know and have a conversation about it, and I would like to know your opinion on methods to properly talk about these kinds of issues in tech.