They have at least one device with an unencrypted copy of their data, likely two or more. They only need this passphrase to set up sync. If they ever forget it, they reset sync, set a new passphrase and re-upload the data. No nuking.
If I only own a phone, all I have to do is break my phone and forget my encryption passcode when I set up my new phone and I would lose all my bookmarks.
- Having 1 password for Google account + one passphrase may be great - in a sense holy grail
But... as some one doing CS for many people
- People just dont focus or show importance to these things
- People will forget the passphrase and lose data
- The importance to the data that was lost is MORE painful than the 'loss' of privacy
- So many people incl. my spouse live totally in phones (and work laptop). With the advent of large screen phablets (a.k.a - all new phones) - one does not even need any tablet.
- Sure, your advice is logically correct but reality for most is that people still treat password or PIN as a PITA.
I sincerely wish some country will pass strong privacy laws + have a connection between google/apple account with national ID of some type so that people can validate and reset password of SV behemoths. But again - strong privacy laws so that neither govt not SV misuses it.