Gmash
Extreme Android User
So the days of "don't be evil" are officially over. Gmail is now only good for spam.
Google: don't expect privacy when sending to Gmail | Technology | The Guardian
People sending email to any of Google's 425 million Gmail users have no
"reasonable expectation" that their communications are confidential, the
internet giant has said in a court filing.
Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group that uncovered the filing, called
the revelation a "stunning admission." It comes as Google and its peers
are under pressure to explain their role in the National Security Agency's
(NSA) mass surveillance of US citizens and foreign nationals.
"Google has finally admitted they don't respect privacy," said John
Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director. "People should
take them at their word; if you care about your email correspondents'
privacy, don't use Gmail."
Google set out its case last month in an attempt to dismiss a class action
lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of breaking wire tap laws when it
scans emails sent from non-Google accounts in order to target ads to
Gmail users.
That suit, filed in May, claims Google "unlawfully opens up, reads, and
acquires the content of people's private email messages". It quotes Eric
Schmidt, Google's executive chairman: "Google policy is to get right up to
the creepy line and not cross it."
The suit claims: "Unbeknown to millions of people, on a daily basis and
for years, Google has systematically and intentionally crossed the 'creepy
line' to read private email messages containing information you don't
want anyone to know, and to acquire, collect, or mine valuable
information from that mail."
In its motion to dismiss the case, Google said the plaintiffs were making
"an attempt to criminalise ordinary business practices" that have been
part of Gmail's service since its introduction. Google said "all users of
email must necessarily expect that their emails will be subject to
automated processing."
Google: don't expect privacy when sending to Gmail | Technology | The Guardian
People sending email to any of Google's 425 million Gmail users have no
"reasonable expectation" that their communications are confidential, the
internet giant has said in a court filing.
Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group that uncovered the filing, called
the revelation a "stunning admission." It comes as Google and its peers
are under pressure to explain their role in the National Security Agency's
(NSA) mass surveillance of US citizens and foreign nationals.
"Google has finally admitted they don't respect privacy," said John
Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director. "People should
take them at their word; if you care about your email correspondents'
privacy, don't use Gmail."
Google set out its case last month in an attempt to dismiss a class action
lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of breaking wire tap laws when it
scans emails sent from non-Google accounts in order to target ads to
Gmail users.
That suit, filed in May, claims Google "unlawfully opens up, reads, and
acquires the content of people's private email messages". It quotes Eric
Schmidt, Google's executive chairman: "Google policy is to get right up to
the creepy line and not cross it."
The suit claims: "Unbeknown to millions of people, on a daily basis and
for years, Google has systematically and intentionally crossed the 'creepy
line' to read private email messages containing information you don't
want anyone to know, and to acquire, collect, or mine valuable
information from that mail."
In its motion to dismiss the case, Google said the plaintiffs were making
"an attempt to criminalise ordinary business practices" that have been
part of Gmail's service since its introduction. Google said "all users of
email must necessarily expect that their emails will be subject to
automated processing."