A couple years after a hurricane left me without power for a week two, I fired up a generator, configured my phone as an AP, and went to do some important things in my Gmail account.

We need to prove it's really you, they posited. Simple enough I thought. I'll just use the same password I've used since 2001.

Oh, I must authenticate with a text, you say? Certainly not a configuration I've made myself, but they're holding the cards on this one, so be it.

I enter the confirmation code.

We still need to prove it's really you, again.

Shucks. I try again. And again. And again.

Sorry, but you'll now have to fuck off. Why? Because we've locked your account for complying with our security theater.

Fuck. I'm in a disaster zone. I need to get things done!

Google cares.

But thankfully, so did the FCC, which I registered a complaint with, arguing from the perspective of interference with emergency communications.

The FCC actually sent the rascals a letter. The leviathan complied and unlocked my account, and suddenly my password was secure again.

Thank you FCC. Although I doubt I'd get the same results with current adm...