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Because websites used emails as an identity, strictly in order to stop malicious use.

An email ties a user to a domain, the domain issues a user for them. If too many users from a domain are malicious, the website can block the domain.

It's a matter of identity and accountability.

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Too many don't actually verify the identity. I often get emails lying in the footer with something like "you are receiving these emails because you signed up" - no I didn't, someone else did, and you didn't check. But fast onboarding is king, right?

And then the unsubscribe, close account, or basic support is all locked behind the login, or it's an international phone call. As far as I know, even if it's my email it's not legally my account so signing in would be illegal.

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