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Way back in May 2021 Google announced that it will make 2-factor or 2 step verification for Google accounts mandatory before the end of the year, and now we know which date this will happen.
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After entering the password, you will need to complete a second step on the phone. Keep your phone handy when you log in.
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Two-Step Verification will be activated automatically on November 9th. If you want, you can activate this feature first: your account is ready.
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This included Gmail.
https://mspoweruser.com/google-reveal-date-when-two-step-verification-will-become-mandatory-for-google-accounts/
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.... moving the mass of existing users, many of whom may have multiple accounts, to Two-Step verification may be more of a struggle.
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I personally know people who have hundreds if not thousands of Google accounts, usually because they had been creating new ones almost daily to log into Google.
(Makes it fun when they lock themselves out of their device and ask if you can get into it for them - does anybody know the Google account password they used when registering a new Android device? I certainly don't remember any, although I probably made a note somewhere if I can find it again).
As these multiple accounts would likely be connected to a particular device you would think Google could find a way to merge them?
Of course doing that would lose them millions of account holders and a big slice of market share, if only statistically.