{"id":2810,"date":"2013-10-29T18:52:18","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T01:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eaf.net\/mvp\/?p=2810"},"modified":"2013-10-31T05:58:15","modified_gmt":"2013-10-31T12:58:15","slug":"google-custom-url-declined","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eaf.net\/mvp\/2013\/google-custom-url-declined\/","title":{"rendered":"Google+ Custom URL, Declined"},"content":{"rendered":"

I could have become +MarkRoth<\/b>.<\/p>\n

\"Google
I said, “Nope, no deal!”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After scanning through the various TOS (“Terms of Service,” you know), I decided to go for it. Then I hesitated again when I saw this was free for now only<\/strong> and might cost me something later. But I kept on going.<\/p>\n

Then Google required my cell phone number. Required!<\/b> \ud83d\ude2f <\/p>\n

Forget that!<\/p>\n

Look, I have no doubt they already have my cell phone number. But not because I voluntarily gave them that info.<\/p>\n

So I decided to let one of the other Mark Roths have that distinctive personal profile URL. I’ve no doubt I was the first Mark Roth on the Web. That’s my<\/i> URL, OK? \ud83d\ude44<\/p>\n

Come to think of it, though, if I wouldn’t put a similar vanity plate on my vehicles, why would I want to stroke my vanity with a Google+ personal URL<\/strong>? Because I still struggle with vanity and pride, I suppose. \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n

Better not feed that. But I was still going to get it. What stopped me wasn’t humility<\/strong> but my privacy-and-security-induced stubbornness about giving Go-Ogle my cell phone number. \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n

Let me tell you a bit about pride:<\/p>\n