UNHAPPY Birthday Message from Google!!!

[ameerat42]

When I entered my username and password for Gmail (now just twice already) today,
I got the screen shown below. There is a bit of chatter on-line about it, but it's dated
already.

Be OFFENDED by...
googleB'day.jpg

You can't get past the screen without entering something - and so Google is forcing
many people to lie BUT... there is a quick workaround without entering any
info on that screen:

Click on the normal GMail link again (or open a bookmark for GMail on the same tab).
Voila` - it takes you to the Inbox. - After all, you have already logged in, and so you
bypass that dastardly screen

[ricktas]

I have two dates of birth. My real one that I use on official documents and the fake one that I use whenever I get asked my DOB and I cannot see a need to provide it. Means that if in future one of these organisations wants me to state/enter my date of birth, I just give them the fake one. Must screw with their data matching, and they probably think I am a different person.. which is fine by me

[Glenda]

I just went to my Gmail and it opened straight to my inbox and like Rick I've also made up birthdays for certain sites - one may have even been AusPhotography, I can't remember.

[ameerat42]

Ta, Glenda and Rick. Clearly, GMail was only picking on me yesterday,
as today I logged in twice already and had no birthday "greetings"

[Brian500au]

Why is it such an issue to give your correct date of birth. Is it because you object to them asking for it (an invasion of privacy) or are you worried about personal security issues?

It would seem to me Google (and other sites / organisations etc) may want this information just as another method to confirm you identity for one reason or another.

I must admit I do find it annoying when I ring my gas / internet / who ever and need to go through the procedure of giving my full name, address and DOB every time - but then again with so much identify fraud now a days I suppose companies do have a duty of care to make sure they are dealing with the person who owns the account.

[Mary Anne]

Funny that Am I never have problems like that. And I agree with Kel ↑ My thoughts exactly.

[farmmax]

We are told time and time again not to give personal information online.

Like Rick, I have a birth date for online use.

It would be ridiculous for Google to want your birth date to confirm your identity, when it is so easy to find someone's birthday. Google has absolutely no need to know your birthday. It is purely for altruistic reasons.

[ameerat42]

My ears were still ringing with the news story of their action reported the day before.
Below is a link to the ACCC article on their "well-intentioned"* activity. I wonder what
else they would like to know about me so that they can "better provide"* a service...?
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-releas...-location-data

So they were found to have been "misleading". Were they still doing that in the web
page cited above? Law? - What law? Or was it only suggestive coercion? In any case,
pretty scant on reason for such a "cold call" asking you to part with personal info.

* My view of it.