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Re:Google users locked out after 15 years' use by mitchdoogle on Monday November 02, 2020 @11:32AM (#24969879)
Why should people have to pay money for a product to expect fair treatment? Is an exchange of services without money not subject to rules and regulations? Google chooses not to charge people because they've found it more beneficial to offer many of them for free. It's a model many tech companies have followed to great success. That doesn't mean they should have free reign to do whatever they please.
Re:Google users locked out after 15 years' use by kube-system on Monday November 02, 2020 @01:05PM (#24971033)
> Is an exchange of services without money not subject to rules and regulations?

A contract without consideration is not a valid contract. There are a few laws in some places that require companies to provide service outside of a contractual service agreement, but those are typically limited to public utilities, emergency services, etc.

Re:Google users locked out after 15 years' use by rurp on Monday November 02, 2020 @10:34PM (#24976039)
GP said without money, not without consideration. Google derives a great deal of value by having your attention and data in its various products. The fact that users exchange attention and data rather than dollars doesn't give Google the right to stomp all over them.
Re:Google users locked out after 15 years' use by kube-system on Tuesday November 03, 2020 @08:39AM (#24979516)
> Google derives a great deal of value by having your attention and data

They do. But does their ToS say that your data and attention is consideration for use of their services? I do not believe it does. In fact, it says:

> You have no obligation to provide any content to our services

Throughout their terms, I don't see anything that implies an obligation of exchange.

There are certainly other rights that exist... But contractual rights to a service is not a right you'd have without a valid contract.

You can sue your caterer if they run out of food, but not the soup kitchen.