I know there are issues with misuse of online spaces, and with people simply forgetting their credentials and wanting another way to prove who they are.
And for giant systems of great importance, maybe you need some extra information.
But we're not all managing giant systems of great importance. We're mostly running small to medium systems of great insignificance.
I run a small web service, have for 12 years now, that never asks for contact details, real names, gender, etc. And we have never had any problems. Ever. In 12 years.
Occasionally I've had to get on the phone with a user and find other ways to identify them enough to safely help them get back in. It's a lot more work than an online form, but it also happens less than once a year (and yes, it's been the same person a few times).
We're not high risk for misuse for various reasons, but seriously, try it out. People are better than you think.
#privacy #webdev