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Google is stupid

I got an email from Google yesterday.

At first I thought it was yet another phishing attempt, that it was trying to get me to click on a link that would transport me to a fake page where I'd be asked for my login details that would then be used to hijack my account.

On closer inspection, everything looked legit.

So why was I sent this email?

Apparently, Google now thinks I live in the USA and, as a result, I'll have to provide proof of age or some of its services may no longer be available to me.

Excuse me?

Let's examine the reality of the situation -- versus Google's perceptions.

Firstly, my Google account was created from right here in New Zealand and it's only ever been accessed from an NZ-based IP address.

How on earth did Google get the idea that I'm now based in the USA?

Do I use a VPN perhaps?

No, I've never used a VPN.

Then there's the age thing...

My Google account was created way back. I was "invited" to join the GMail trial long before public access was available.

My YouTube channel was created 19 years ago in 2006 and has been in regular use ever since.

An inspection of any of the videos on my YouTube channels will clearly show that I'm a rather old, bald, grey-beareded guy.

Apparently however, in a sorry testiment to its clearly obvious flaws, Google's AI has determined that I might be under 16 years of age and therefore might need to verify my age in some way.

How the hell did I create a Google account, GMail account and YouTube channel *YEARS* before I was born?

Why would someone resident in New Zealand, who accesses Google's services from an NZ IP address and who receives regular monthly payments to an NZ bank account be considered to be living in the USA?

The really worrying thing is that when crap like this happens, there is nobody you can talk to at Google. It's *ALL* AI now and once these systems have made their mind up there's often no way to correct their hallucinations.

I'll just email support@google.com right?

I'll just look up their NZ support phone number and give them a call maybe?

Cue Tui's ad.

Herein lies the real problem with AI-based systems. When they work, they can save huge amounts of time and money -- but when they fail, people are often left disenfranchised and completely on their own.

To be honest, if Google's AI is so broken that it thinks this 72-year-old Kiwi resident is a pre-teen living in the USA then I'm done with Google.

Every time I find myself having to deal with the stupidity of Google's AI I spend a few more hours setting up the self-hosting for my videos and making more preparations to ditch big tech in favour of an option that restores my freedoms, my privacy and restores control to me.

Stay tuned, this could be an interesting ride and I'll be documenting it through these pages.

Carpe Diem folks!

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