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Gmail's 22-Year Username Lock Broken—But Privacy Risks Remain

Source: forbes.com

TL;DR

Google now lets Gmail users change their username after 22 years, keeping old ones as aliases.
Old addresses still receive mail, raising impersonation and phishing risks for 2 billion users.
Users should create separate emails for sign-ups to protect primary addresses from scammers.

The story at a glance

Google has rolled out a feature for U.S. Gmail users to change their original email addresses via account settings, announced by CEO Sundar Pichai. The change targets legacy usernames from 2004, like "v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com." It's being reported now because the feature is newly available after Gmail's long history. This comes amid ongoing privacy concerns with email exposure.[[1]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/05/google-changes-gmail-after-22-years-why-you-need-a-new-email-address/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes)[[2]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/01/18/googles-gmail-decision-why-you-need-a-new-email-address-now)

Key points

Users go to Google Account settings to pick any available username; old addresses forward mail as aliases.
Aimed at millennials ditching embarrassing school or college names for professional ones.
Gmail has about 2 billion users, many stuck with outdated addresses since 2004 launch.
Security expert Jake Moore warns aliases could boost phishing, as old addresses remain active.
Google is working on a "Hide My Email" feature like Apple's, but it's not available yet.
Author argues changing addresses doesn't fix core issue: new ones get listed in marketer and scammer databases immediately.

Details and context

Email addresses end up in permanent databases used by marketers and criminals, no matter when created. A simple change exposes a fresh address to the same problems, like spam or breaches. Old aliases add risk because anyone knowing your prior address could impersonate you.[[1]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/05/google-changes-gmail-after-22-years-why-you-need-a-new-email-address/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes)

Apple's Hide My Email generates random forwarding addresses you can disable, keeping your real one private. Google passed on launching this with the username change, leaving users to create throwaway emails manually for sign-ups. Think of it like not handing out your phone number everywhere.[[1]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/05/google-changes-gmail-after-22-years-why-you-need-a-new-email-address/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes)

Key quotes

Sundar Pichai: “2004 was a good year, but your Gmail address doesn’t need to be stuck in it... Say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com or mrbrightside416@gmail.com.”[[1]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/05/google-changes-gmail-after-22-years-why-you-need-a-new-email-address/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes)
Jake Moore (ESET): “Old addresses will still work as aliases... this sounds helpful but potentially increases impersonation and phishing attacks... Until Google creates a ‘hide my email’ equivalent to what Apple offers, users may be better off creating a separate email address for multiple sign ins.”[[1]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/05/google-changes-gmail-after-22-years-why-you-need-a-new-email-address/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=forbes)

Why it matters

Email privacy affects billions, as addresses fuel spam, scams, and data sales. Gmail users gain username flexibility but face ongoing exposure without better tools, so create aliases for online forms to shield main inboxes. Watch for Google's Hide My Email rollout, which could change this if released widely.