gmail now seems to be allowing actual signups (if you have a u.s. mobile phone and you can receive messages from sms, short messge service). this way you don't need to ask anyone for an account and no random person will have your contact information after you sign up (while using a free gmail giveway the person who submitted the account invite automatically gets your name and email address added to his/her contact list.). https://www.google.com/accounts/SmsMailSignup1