[LINK] RFI: Opening an account with Google without a phone-camera

[Roger Clarke]

Despite my preference to avoid Google, I'm of course trapped into a few 
instances, such as Scholar.

I have a small number of single-use accounts.

I'm trying to set up a Scholar account.

A new feature is that its setup process demands capture of a QR code.

In the past, there's been a '*Try another way*' link visible.
I know that, because I've been here before.
But also because Google's Help page says so:
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/9283368?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&sjid=12035250823593856350-NC

*No such link appears in the window*.  See this screengrab:
http://rogerclarke.com/SOS/Google-AcSetup-260215.png

There appears to be no recourse to a human being.

*Any thoughts on how a non-compliant desktop/laptop user can play*
would be very much appreciated.


Aside:

When I did some work on CovidUnsafe apps in 2020, I looked at the extent 
to which people had a device with them at the time that could perform 
the necessary functions (Battery, Bluetooth, On):
https://www.rogerclarke.com/EC/EBPA.html

  > Effectiveness Factors
...
  > 4 The proportions of the relevant population that possess mobile devices
  > For a variety of reasons, many people do not possess mobile devices.
Australia's population is about 25m. Of the active population of 19m, 
90% carry mobile devices, of which about 55% are iPhone/iOS and 45% are 
Android devices.
  > *So 10% of the active population (2m people) don't have a mobile*.
  > In addition, it's likely that, for a number of social and economic 
reasons, a significant proportion of those who don't have one are among 
the most vulnerable populations, such as the over-70s, people with 
relevant prior health conditions, the institutionalised, people in lower 
socio-economic segments, and street-livers
  > 5 The proportions of the relevant population that possess mobile 
devices that are capable of performing the function
... [*Some mobile devices can't read the QR-code*] ...

___________________

Roger Clarke                           mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au
T: +61 2 6288 6916  http://www.xamax.com.au  http://www.rogerclarke.com

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd     78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
Visiting Professorial Fellow                         UNSW Law & Justice
Visiting Professor in Computer Science   Australian National University