account.management@gmail.com
So when Google Mail started up, I managed to register “account.management@gmail.com.” I didn’t have any particular plan for this, I just figured that it was entertaining, and a good, harmless prank could be made of it. (I specifically emailed a friend who works for Google security about it, and mentioned it in person next time we saw each other.) Google has just closed the account.
The termination clause of their terms of use clearly allow this: “Google may at any time and for any reason terminate the Services, terminate this Agreement, or suspend or terminate your account.”
So, I’m not really complaining. I do wish I’d gotten a good prank from it.
I do hope they don’t terminate the accounts that were associated with it, because a bunch of family members are using their accounts more in line with the way Google wants you to. But this raises a real worry. The lack of consideration for your account, along with that clause, may allow them to shut you out of your email. I’m glad I’m not seriously using the service.
There’s a great business in selling gmail appliances for corporate email, I think. Google’s reconsideration of the use of email was well overdue, and I’d like to be able to use their work without such worries.
[Update Jan 2024: Gmail's current policies]
I always wondered why people enthusiastically use services where they basically can be kicked out any time and don’t even have the (often small) leverage of being a “paying customer”.
Dear Gmail
Thank you so much for your recent letter, telling me that We’ve noticed that you haven’t used your Gmail account, account.management@gmail.com, for quite some time. In order to make Gmail better for our users, we’ve added a lot of…