Gmail - a security issue?

1stmonkeyonline

This may have been discussed before, but hey I'm new, so:

I'm sure you are all aware of Google's new mail service Gmail. As I got an invitation last week I signed up - quite naively, without looking through its privacy policy. I am only using it as a personal email and have my work account separate so it’s not a big concern to me.
Anyway, to get to the point, Gmail is making its money by using ad placement - quite similar to other online options – however they are using ‘relevant’ ad placement by scanning your emails for keywords or search terms and then targeting you with links as if you had used Google to search for these.
I see this as a major security concern as they do not explicitly warn users where or to who their personal information is heading. Their loose privacy policy has much to be desired. Read more at: http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/GmailLetter.htm

Batbat

1stmonkeyonline wrote:

This may have been discussed before, but hey I'm new, so:

I'm sure you are all aware of Google's new mail service Gmail. As I got an invitation last week I signed up - quite naively, without looking through its privacy policy. I am only using it as a personal email and have my work account separate so it’s not a big concern to me.
Anyway, to get to the point, Gmail is making its money by using ad placement - quite similar to other online options – however they are using ‘relevant’ ad placement by scanning your emails for keywords or search terms and then targeting you with links as if you had used Google to search for these.
I see this as a major security concern as they do not explicitly warn users where or to who their personal information is heading. Their loose privacy policy has much to be desired. Read more at: http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/GmailLetter.htm

jeez the sky is blue, what else is new, its free what else do you want?, anyway dont use it if you dont like the context scanning

Nietzschean

i'd have to agree with poster #2 ,
1. Its free,you don't have to use it.
2. I've no problem with an automated bot scanning my emails to throw up an advert, sure as hell beats the crap banner add's and annoying services given by other free webmail services(hotmail...).

personally i don't find it annoying at all, heck it can even be handy (get order shipped email when its sent by fedex, and fedex link to the right...)

3. If anyone ever does anything in this world, someone will find something wrong with it and bitch like mad, its just what people do --- how else do u expect them to fund a 1gigabyte free email service with no banner/pop-up ads?

Danni

I agree with the other 2 posters here aswell.. The emails are scanned by a machine, its not like somebody is sitting down and reading your personal emails every day. If you don't want to do it, then don't sign up!

liamo

Besides, how many people actually even notice the ads that are served up by Google searches? Not me!! The ads in Gmail are served in a similar style and a little judicious application of Selective Attention will soon make Gmail ads go away as well.

Liam

Funkygreendogs

Hey if google do have to suspend its gmail service does that mean all their accounts will be deleted

seamus

They're scanning our emails!? Oh no!!!!!11111

Unless you're hosting your own mail server (and even then), there's a good chance that all your incoming and outgoing mails are being scanned and read at some point in the chain.

At least Google are putting it to good use. If you're that worried, get a PGP client and use it to encrypt your mails before you send them.

Hobbes

You could of read Googles policy on it.

http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6599&topic=-1

Google is NOT reading your mail. Privacy is an issue we take very seriously. Gmail is a technology-based program. Advertising and related information are shown using a completely automated process.

There is no one reading your email beyond the BOFH that exists in all companies.

The page you link is not exactly correct either. First up the adverts are generated at page rendering time. Your mail isn't scanned until you read it, and then by a computer which just looks for keywords.

Second this bit...

Google has not set specific, finite limits on how long it will retain user account, email, and transactional data.

That is not true either. Google erase your gmail account if you..
a) Delete a mail permently (delete from trash area)
b) Delete your account.
c) Don't use your account in 90 days.

Your free email in google is about as safe as any other free email.

If you're that worried, get a PGP client and use it to encrypt your mails before you send them.

I wonder what the adverts for that would be?

Btw, read up a bit after Arcadegames post on politics regarding google. Apprantly gmail is scaring the crap out of advertisers. Between the advanced spam system and adverts which can be placed which are competitiors to incoming spam, it causes spammers problems.

Fenster

Personally I have no problems with Google's advertising. Its a hell of a lot less intrusive than the likes of those f*****g flash flash ads that seem to be the norm on many site, there are no pop-ups and despite using my email for most things I haven't had a single spam email yet.

And lastly, you're not required to use Gmail. If your email privacy is so important, keep a seperate non-Gmail address for sensetive emails with friends and family.