Email Signup Privacy Concerns

Users debate the necessity of providing real email addresses for website signups, expressing fears of spam and privacy leaks while suggesting alternatives like fake or temporary emails.

📉 Falling 0.3x Security
5,340
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#5867
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
29
2008
96
2009
111
2010
179
2011
242
2012
290
2013
350
2014
307
2015
234
2016
252
2017
251
2018
364
2019
310
2020
475
2021
383
2022
586
2023
352
2024
280
2025
234
2026
15

Keywords

COM IMO HN OK NOT INSIDE.COM INSIDE email email address address sign addresses signup email addresses emails account mail

Sample Comments

grogenaut Nov 14, 2019 View on HN

why even give them a real email address?

black_puppydog Jun 21, 2018 View on HN

wait, why do they need users' emails?

bluekite2000 Jan 26, 2011 View on HN

why do you need to supply an email? Is that even necessary? Most people will fake it anyway

icebraining Oct 2, 2015 View on HN

Might as well not use an email at all, no?

muszc-master Feb 9, 2016 View on HN

It's for those times when a signup could be useful for you but you don't want to give out your real email adress. Questions? :)

EGreg Apr 8, 2018 View on HN

Why is it bad to know if an email is already registered?

msh Jun 30, 2020 View on HN

As a user I can't see why any random app needs to know my true email address.

tomjen3 Jun 11, 2016 View on HN

What do you need email for, anyway? Not giving you one makes it pretty easy not to leak it.

jfoster May 31, 2022 View on HN

It's great if they don't require any email, but if they get one & intend to use it, what prevents them from spamming someone who doesn't even control the account?

WithinReason Mar 26, 2025 View on HN

why not use a fake email address?