One very convenient feature of Google allows a single log-in to third-party websites and apps with a single click. If you're logged into google on your phone/app, there's a good chance you can just click the "log in with Google" button and you're in.

Of course, such convenience comes at a cost to your privacy.

So what happens when you try to switch away, when you try to either switch your account or create a new one from an e-mail address? Well, so far I've noticed three things:

1. Indeed kept sending e-mail to my google account for months afterward.
2. Patreon made the process of switching my account off of Google so convoluted, I opted to just nuke my account entirely.
3. One retail site is giving me an error creating a new non-G account, probably because my device, a Samsung-owned tablet, is already "registered", probably through some super invasive Google process hardware fingerprinting it and linking it to my account. I'm kicking it back to the website for the time being.

I knew this was going to be a problem so I've always used email aliases.

I recall people back in the day relying so heavily (in the US anyway) on their ISP-provided email accounts, and I used to think, "what happens if you move and they're not available or you get tired of someone's BS and you switch away?!" You'd have to re-setup a whole new email and let anyone know, for other accounts, etc. Just a give pain.

I like the aliases though especially bc you can delete them whenever necessary and if you're getting a whole bunch of spam, it all goes away without losing your primary account.

Patreon made the process of switching my account off of Google so convoluted, I opted to just nuke my account entirely.

This is advisable regardless of whether the service makes switching a pain or not. Linking accounts once creates a link forever. If privacy and clean separation are your goals, break the link and start from scratch.

One retail site is giving me an error creating a new non-G account, probably because my device, a Samsung-owned tablet, is already “registered”, probably through some super invasive Google process hardware fingerprinting it and linking it to my account.

If you can, ditch the service. This kind of fuckery should not be rewarded with hard currency.

If you can't, use a desktop machine to create a new account. If things don't work in a vanilla browser, you can escalate the process by

• deleting all cookies / using private mode (separates you from any cookie baggage you may still have)
• using a VPN (thus thwarting IP-based identification)
• blocking JavaScript (if the site is still usable without it) or spoofing a user agent

Yeah, the link is there on the vendor's side, but it doesn't get back to google, right? I mean, I guess unless they have sharing agreements, which they probably do. Shit. My brain still hasn't adjusted to modern corporate perfidy.

As for that hardware ID, I'm kicking it back to the retailer and letting them know they're going to lose a sale if they don't address it. If I just disappear, they're not going to know its a problem. But they're also a good company otherwise--non-Amazon specialty stores are a treasure--so I'll just do the work around (probably on a web browser with the new account) if they don't fix it.

Yeah, those cable e-mail addresses are crazzyyy.... I used to work a public help desk a few years ago and they're people still using them! But they're being managed by Yahoo! usually and I don't know if anyone's verifying they're still getting service through the company that bought the company that bought the company that bought the original cable company that issued the e-mail.

Aliases are nice. Maybe one day when I'm an adult, I'll pay for proton.

It always seemed like a bad idea to link everything to your Google account. Now I know people who won't leave Google purely for this reason. Glad you're working your way through it

I'm chipping away at it... it's a long process of gradual disentaglement.

SimpleLogin app. Proton free gives you a few free one. Not that I'm promoting them, but Outlook gives free aliases too and I've got over 5 (its an old account for mostly junk/promo stuff).

This is the most time consuming part of degoogling.

The next time suck could be finding apps and services you like that respect your privacy. This can go on for years, especially if a service is no longer maintained.

Any website giving even the mildest shit about security will send a verification email to your old email address when you set a new one. This email will usually specify your new email address.

If you're really concerned about Google having nothing on you, use a transitional proton or masked email, then change it again so their info is inaccurate. I personally don't care if Google knows my new email address; I'm satisfied just knowing they can't read what's sent to it anymore.