1. (Please reblog!) How Google Stole my Documents, YouTube Video Account, Formspring and More!

    pastorswives:

    envisionpublishing:

    karlaakins:

    On January 30, 2009, I tried signing into my gmail account so that I could retrieve my google documents.  I can’t describe the utter horror that came over me as I discovered that google had deleted my account.

    It is gone.  It doesn’t exist anymore.

    And I have no idea why.  No one has given me an explanation.

    There is no one to talk to at Google.  Their problem resolution system is automated, and because I can’t remember exact dates of when I joined YouTube or blogger or other services that google uses our gmail password for, I can’t get my account back.

    I am a writer.  I have backed up my documents confidently on google docs for more than three years.  I have posted videos on YouTube that I can’t get to now because YouTube uses my google account to sign in.  I can no longer get into my blogger accounts on blogger.com because of the same reason.

    Formspring login?  Google has it.  FeedBurner?  Google.  There are probably a lot more places that have this same log-in issue that I’m not remembering right now.

    I have been hi-jacked by google with no explanation.  I suppose they can.  They owe me nothing. They are, after all, a free service.  Is this how they get you to buy their professional service?

    I am a middle-aged pastor’s wife in rural Indiana.  I do not spam people.  So why would google shut me down like this with no explanation whatsoever?  Google is the 800-pound gorilla in the room.  How does a Miss Nobody in rural USA fight such an enormous foe?

    To say I am devastated is an understatement. “My entire life” is in that google documents file.  Passwords, research, several novels in progress and other works in progress.

    I need your help.  Please reblog this when you read it.  Send it in e-mails.  Warn people who use Google Docs that it is not as secure as they think.  I had started using google to help me back up my files after I had fried several hard drives.

    Please help me and reblog!!  Thanks!!  Include my URL so that people can know it isn’t an urban legend.  http://karlaakins.tumblr.com

    Thanks!