We need laws to stop Google deleting data in such circumstances. It's one thing to block or remove access to one's data but deleting it is another matter altogether.
Google is a monopoly and people have little choice other than to use it or go without.
If governments cannot bring Big Tech to heal—which seems to be the case—then the least they can do is to protect people's data. A third party, government tribunal etc., ought to be an avenue of appeal. Only after investigation by such an authority and after it deems material illegal etc. could it be deleted.
Despite what I've said I for the life of me cannot understand why people trust Google with their data without first backing it up elsewhere.
For the record I've even chosen to not have a Google account (at least a current one linked to a phone number and a smartphone). Before such mandatory requirements I posted to YouTube under an alias.
jxjnskkzxxhx · 1d ago
As much as I dislike the dystopian hellhole that is present day's tech, I can't agree with this.
You're uploading some data to their platform. Just keep a copy. If people are coddled they don't learn.
hilbert42 · 14h ago
What's your specific disagreement? If it's that I'm still uploading data to Google then it can't be much. Google's apps have been removed and a firewall blocks any third party ones from the internet that aren't from F-Droid.
Intralexical · 12h ago
You can't fault people for using a popular service that's advertised as safe.
Maybe the solution is laws requiring prominent disclosure of high-impact practices like this. How many people would use Youtube if the sign-up page said, in bold red letters:
WE CAN AND WILL DELETE USERS' ENTIRE ACCOUNT AND LIVELIHOOD AT ANY TIME.
YOU WILL HAVE NO RECOURSE OR EXPLANATION.
WE DON'T REALLY EVEN EMPLOY HUMANS FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
Only half joking.
Intralexical · 11h ago
> Despite what I've said I for the life of me cannot understand why people trust Google with their data without first backing it up elsewhere.
Because most people are non-technical, most technically skilled people assume a basic level of good faith and transparency from society, and even people who are both technical and cynical have finite hours for setting up NextCloud.
And by non-technical, I mean "doesn't know what a folder is", not "might struggle with long Docker commands". OneDrive and Google Photos already describe themselves as a "Backup" in the UI, so why would you need another backup unless they're lying?
Big Tech can obfsucate their bad behavior behind technical complexity, simply not care about operating in good faith, and still attain market dominance through convenient offerings and manipulative practices.
Imagine your pizza shop taking back a pie they'd already delivered, or your local bank branch unilaterally deciding to incinerate your safe deposit box. They'd never get away with it. But Google can.
Instead of faulting people for trusting them, we should hold Big Tech accountable for not being trustworthy.
throwaway81523 · 1d ago
Slope's Game Room (video game documentaries), 160k subscribers, 600-ish videos.
This should be on archive.org rather than youtube in all likelihood.
neomantra · 1d ago
He said he has all his YouTube content backed up, but besides this livelihood, most of his Google digital existence will be wiped without backup, including two decades of photos of loved ones.
tldr; is that his Google account (all services) is scheduled for deletion by Google with no explanation or recourse.
He thinks it might be because he stored some Spanish-language chatroom transcripts on his Google Drive as research for a story, without realizing the content, which might be hate speech.
But he's in the dystopia of getting his life erased and no way to fix it...
So he's shouting out for somebody from Google/Youtube, so if you that person reading this on HN, that's why the video exists.
graemep · 1d ago
There are legitimate reasons for storing hate speech, such as this. I have uploaded hate speech to Dropbox to share with other people who might complain to FB that it was being shared there.
Relying on cloud services to this extent is a risk.
throwaway81523 · 16h ago
> photos of loved ones
Can't he download thst stuff if he has some runway? Then be glad to get off of Google.
Suzuran · 1d ago
Is this the part where we start victim-blaming because platform? I feel like this is the part where we start victim-blaming because platform.
rasz · 19h ago
>Spanish-language chatroom transcripts
let me guess, its about that Spanish superSega scammer
eldr: some Spanish scammer with history of crowdfunding grift decided to replicate Amico Intellivision scam (selling preorders for nonexistent hardware). Made a crowdfunding campaign for FPGA Sega console demonstrating PCB with few components soldered in random places and random lol routing and pretending to play games on it. After being called out he doubled down bringing "independent third party" to verify legitimacy of his claims who happens to be his girlfriends brother/sisters boyfriend? Very sloppy as far as scam crowdfunding campaigns go, on a level of African prince.
neomantra · 3h ago
To be clear, according to OP video, OP made content revealing the scam, then followed the scammer into the Chatrooms and archived it.
OP is not the scammer; they explicitly do not ask for financial assistance but rather connection to Google support.
... is a great potted summary. It should not be marked dead. @dang, can you fix this?
gruez · 1d ago
>What is going on with the moderation today?! Valuable comments are being marked DEAD.
If you check the user's profile, he's proudly showing that he was banned, after repeated warnings. If you think a given comment is valuable you can click the "vouch" button to get it unhidden.
lproven · 17h ago
Second mention of "vouch" today. I do not have a "vouch button". Is this a feature I need to enable somewhere or something?
JumpCrisscross · 1d ago
As an outsider who turned on showdead to read it, it’s also entirely uncredible as it quotes an uncited YouTube comment of unknown credibility.
arp242 · 16h ago
User is banned for repeatedly posting bollocks such as: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39887087 – and that just barely scratches the surface. You might want to check your facts before engaging in these rants.
As for your other complaint about moderation, this is obviously just basic rate-limiting that exists on many platforms to prevent (or last least, limit) spam. You've been around long enough that you should have been able to figure that out on your own.
Google is a monopoly and people have little choice other than to use it or go without.
If governments cannot bring Big Tech to heal—which seems to be the case—then the least they can do is to protect people's data. A third party, government tribunal etc., ought to be an avenue of appeal. Only after investigation by such an authority and after it deems material illegal etc. could it be deleted.
Despite what I've said I for the life of me cannot understand why people trust Google with their data without first backing it up elsewhere.
For the record I've even chosen to not have a Google account (at least a current one linked to a phone number and a smartphone). Before such mandatory requirements I posted to YouTube under an alias.
You're uploading some data to their platform. Just keep a copy. If people are coddled they don't learn.
Maybe the solution is laws requiring prominent disclosure of high-impact practices like this. How many people would use Youtube if the sign-up page said, in bold red letters:
Only half joking.Because most people are non-technical, most technically skilled people assume a basic level of good faith and transparency from society, and even people who are both technical and cynical have finite hours for setting up NextCloud.
And by non-technical, I mean "doesn't know what a folder is", not "might struggle with long Docker commands". OneDrive and Google Photos already describe themselves as a "Backup" in the UI, so why would you need another backup unless they're lying?
Big Tech can obfsucate their bad behavior behind technical complexity, simply not care about operating in good faith, and still attain market dominance through convenient offerings and manipulative practices.
Imagine your pizza shop taking back a pie they'd already delivered, or your local bank branch unilaterally deciding to incinerate your safe deposit box. They'd never get away with it. But Google can.
Instead of faulting people for trusting them, we should hold Big Tech accountable for not being trustworthy.
This should be on archive.org rather than youtube in all likelihood.
tldr; is that his Google account (all services) is scheduled for deletion by Google with no explanation or recourse.
He thinks it might be because he stored some Spanish-language chatroom transcripts on his Google Drive as research for a story, without realizing the content, which might be hate speech.
But he's in the dystopia of getting his life erased and no way to fix it...
So he's shouting out for somebody from Google/Youtube, so if you that person reading this on HN, that's why the video exists.
Relying on cloud services to this extent is a risk.
Can't he download thst stuff if he has some runway? Then be glad to get off of Google.
let me guess, its about that Spanish superSega scammer
eldr: some Spanish scammer with history of crowdfunding grift decided to replicate Amico Intellivision scam (selling preorders for nonexistent hardware). Made a crowdfunding campaign for FPGA Sega console demonstrating PCB with few components soldered in random places and random lol routing and pretending to play games on it. After being called out he doubled down bringing "independent third party" to verify legitimacy of his claims who happens to be his girlfriends brother/sisters boyfriend? Very sloppy as far as scam crowdfunding campaigns go, on a level of African prince.
OP is not the scammer; they explicitly do not ask for financial assistance but rather connection to Google support.
• Slopes made video on a(n alleged) scammer
• Alleged scammer was mad and doxxed him
• Slopes went into the alleged scammer's WhatsApp group anonymously
• It's all in Spanish, so he downloaded the chat logs, uploading it to his Google drive, so he could have a Spanish friend look at it
• Google scanned the chat logs, and saw lots of horrible Hate Speech; and is punishing Slopes for having Hate Speech.
• Google set his entire account for deletion. Not just YouTube, but his entire photo library going back years and years.
• Slopes, in a panic seeing this, messed up his first chance to appeal this. There is possibly a second chance.
• He's asking if anyone knows anyone who has a direct line to YouTube, to contact his above email
This: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44246573
... is a great potted summary. It should not be marked dead. @dang, can you fix this?
If you check the user's profile, he's proudly showing that he was banned, after repeated warnings. If you think a given comment is valuable you can click the "vouch" button to get it unhidden.
As for your other complaint about moderation, this is obviously just basic rate-limiting that exists on many platforms to prevent (or last least, limit) spam. You've been around long enough that you should have been able to figure that out on your own.