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I logged into a Google account today and was asked to verify my phone number. Strangely, I don’t ever remember giving Google my phone number, ever. I use an iPhone and limit my use of Google services because, to be honest, I don’t trust Google.

Turns out, there’s a clause in Google’s “privacy” policy which blatantly declares its right to collect information, without my explicit consent:

Device information

We collect device-specific information (such as your hardware model, operating system version, _ unique device identifiers, and mobile network information including phone number _ [my emphasis]). Google may associate your device identifiers or phone number with your Google Account.

Wow! This is new, and I don’t remember agreeing to this when I naively setup my first Google account in the late 1990s. I certainly don’t accept this now.

My already diminished trust in Google has reached an all time low.