Personal Tech
You may only get 5GB of storage instead of 15GB if you don’t share your digits with the Chocolate Factory
Google is testing a storage reduction for new accounts unless a phone number is provided.
The change the Chocolate Factory is trialing affects new accounts, reducing the free storage from 15 GB to a miserly 5 GB unless the user provides a telephone number.
Not all new users are impacted. We created a Gmail account today, and were given the full 15 GB of storage without being required to provide a phone number (although it did ask for one for activation code purposes).
The test is also regional and, it must be emphasized, is just that at this stage – a test. However, it could point to a future where tech vendors demand more data in return for using a ‘free’ service. Arguably, we’re living in that future right now.
A Google spokesperson told The Register: “We’re testing a new storage policy for new accounts created in select regions that will help us continue to provide a high quality storage service to our users, while encouraging users to improve their account security and data recovery.”
A Reddit thread on the matter contained all manner of theories regarding what the data might be used for, including nefarious commercial purposes. Judging by the screenshot, Google is trying to curb people who create multiple accounts to gain more storage.
15 GB is not a lot of storage these days, particularly given the relentless growth in media file sizes. That said, a drop to 5 GB would bring Google into line with Apple, which gives customers the same amount unless they upgrade to iCloud+. Microsoft gives users 15 GB of free Outlook.com storage, and Proton Mail’s free tier gives users 1 GB (initially 500 MB until a starting checklist is completed).
Should the test become reality, it could be seen as yet another step on a worrying path. Sure, you can have more free storage: sign here and agree to hand over these bits of your personal information. As demand for storage increases, vendor offerings are looking ever more miserly, and a cut from Google, even with the best of intentions, will rankle.
Then again, if you are concerned about privacy and your personal information being used for commercial purposes, it could be that, for all its convenience, Gmail might not be the right tool for you. Reducing storage to 5 GB for new users (existing users aren’t affected) unless a telephone number is handed over might be the nudge that some users need to look elsewhere for their email needs. ®
