What if I don't want to upgrade to Google+?

[CathyA]

When I try to log into my gmail account, its trying to force me to upgrade to a Google+ account. I don't want to! But it won't let me access my mail, until I upgrade, and it means lots of my info will be put out in cyber space for the world to view. It doesn't give me the option to refuse it.
Anyone else have this problem?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well you can probably set the privacy settings so very little is viewable to the outside world in Google+ (or so I imagine). Mind you google still datamines the data (for marketing purposes and I guess otherwise) but they are probably doing that with non Google+ accounts as well (or so I imagine).

If you actually wanted a different email provider it doesn't seem that difficult to move existing emails in your inbox etc (using thunderbird email client etc.)., but I don't think that's what your asking.

It does occur to me that viewing your emails through an email client (like Thunderbird - it can be downloaded free) rather than through the web interface might also be a way to bypass the prompts to upgrade.

[bae]

CathyA - just because you have a Google+ account doesn't mean anything changes/happens, unless you start using the Google+ part. It won't hose your gmail account.

[CathyA]

Thanks. But why don't they offer a "no thanks, stay like I am" deal.

[bae]

Thanks. But why don't they offer a "no thanks, stay like I am" deal.

Because they are moving forward. Supporting legacy systems is expensive. I suspect from the "changes" they have imposed on me recently they are trying to make one-login-to-rule-them-all for all the various google tools and such.