Google sends multiple emails that are extremely clear about what is going to happen. If you ignore the emails or notifications, that is your fault, not on the service.

Like I mentioned above, even the Google podcast service is giving users over a year to prepare for the shutdown, and provides a method to transfer any data you have out of the app. If they take much precaution with a podcast app that few people even use, I guarantee they sent multiple emails to this person urging them to prepare for this.

If you don't check your email or just ignore it, that is not the service providers fault. Expecting a free service to bend over backwards for you even when they told you repeatedly to prepare for this is silly.

>I can't believe we all fell for it.

You fell for clickbait and exaggerated or fabricated stories from someone who either ignored their mail or waited til last minute and are now whining.

you seem the be extrapolating the actions in one service to what you think the actions are in another service, when direct evidence is saying that the other service has not in fact done what you are extrapolating. I don't really see why you think your extrapolation is more believable than the reported facts.

He had all his computers confiscated by the FBI and then realized that his backups were also being destroyed by Google. Calling this a grift is incredibly insulting.

Did you miss the sarcasm?