Email Address Is Not Immortal
One of the problems I face with any online services these days is its region locks; troubleshooting region locks also reveal the underbelly of the email-ridden systems. I’ve discussed it in length in different op-eds, and fundamentally the issue itself is not about keeping the customers out. These imaginary fences are made to be invisible to most customers, and when it does, it’s nearly impossible for the users to troubleshoot.
Few months ago, I had to create a second account with Disney+. Having lived in South Korea long enough to get a credit card, I thought to switch my account region over to Korea, it was not doable. Instead, the customer representative recommended that I make a new account under new email address, as the Disney’s system register email addresses permanently, thereby I cannot reuse the existing address again. The issue with the region locks weren’t entirely unexpected; but its system not capable of reusing the email address was.
An issue of similar origin occurred with Amazon. Amazon doesn’t have physical presence in South Korea, but I can still have parcels shipped over after the import charges and shipping fees. When Amazon sent me an email to one of my old address, I wasn’t sure if the address was being abused as a front for something else by a hacker, or the email itself was a phishing scam. Turns out, it was a genuine email from Amazon, only that I have no way of verifying if my address was compromised on Amazon’s system. Exactly how I am supposed to reach Amazon’s customer support with an email address that is no longer active, — their system wouldn’t allow it — I am not sure. Frankly, I’m not even sure how they kept my address on record in the first place.
My point is, email address is a limited resource, just like pool of IPv4 addresses. At some point, people move on and so do their addresses. Much akin to the digital ownership debate on the side of video games and digital medias, account systems shouldn’t tied down by emails; it should be tied to whoever is paying: the payee, the subscribers, the customers. No doubt John Does and Jane Does are trying to use their ‘unique’ emails in these systems, and imagine the shock and horror they must feel when they need to whip up a second email address. Anyone who had fought with tooth and nail to have shortest address possible would understand it.