Google: Gmail users should have "no legitimate expectation of privacy"

[The Buzz]

Google may be reading your emails. Or at least they feel no shame doing so.

In a brief filed recently in federal court, Google lawyers admitted that people should not expect privacy when they send messages to Gmail accounts.

The brief said: "Just as a sender of a letter to a business colleague cannot be surprised that the recipient's assistant opens the letter, people who use web-based email today cannot be surprised if their emails are processed by the recipient's [email provider] in the course of delivery. Indeed, 'a person has no legitimate expectation of privacy in information he voluntarily turns over to third parties.'"

It would be bad news if any of Buzzy's emails ever went public.

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/news...eople-who-care

[FictionNet]

And on the subject of compromised privacy, this one sent me cold.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23693460

[edgarf76]

I never thought gmail was private, all emails with the exeption of using web mail are public IMO. It used to annoy me however I have come to accept it and really do not care because I am not doing anything wrong. I know others will feel different, its just my two cents.

[LukeC]

And on the subject of compromised privacy, this one sent me cold.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23693460

What kind of sicko would find that exploit in the first place...

[NorwegianViking]

Well, it's hardly a surprise to anyone who takes a look at the ads you see in Gmail, I think. Mine are at least very often tailored after the content of the emails I receive...

[NorwegianViking]

What kind of sicko would find that exploit in the first place...

My thoughts exactly, very difficult to understand how someone could think that would be fun.

[rak]

What if you have Premium Google Gmail service - any level of privacy expected?
What about your email with your ISP?

[rod.collins]

I would not trust anything Google does, unfortunately Google is one of the biggies for social media, but owning a small ISP I have had some personal experiences with their e-mail an know that Gmail is a huge resource for spammers and it kills me that so many people actually use their e-mail. If you have your own domain personally its better to use that e-mail, while not foolproof its much better than using Gmail.

[Anthony]

Even though nothing online is really private, it is still disturbing.

I see Microsoft is attempting to capitalize (but who truly trusts Microsoft) : http://www.scroogled.com/email/

[universal4]

I agree Rod,

Using email at your own personal domains is one of the most private things you can do with email. (Anthony, I'd trust Microsoft before Google or Apple)

Rick
Universal4

[universal4]

What Google is doing and how they invade your privacy is explained a little better here.
http://techland.time.com/2013/07/23/...e-gmail-worse/

Rick
Universal4

[PokerSpnsor2-0]

Just my 2 cents, but have you guys heard of "prism" they see and record absolutely everything, everyone in the entire world does online. So yeah privacy, even in your own domain email is compromised.

[TheGooner]

Gents,

As someone who wrote financial transaction systems in another job, I can tell you that ANYTHING that is transmitted through a network travels in clear text unless it has been especially encrypted by the sender and is being decrypted by the receiver.

The upshot is than anything sent of a network can be read whenever it bounces of a server or router. If your network in the "internet" then you have absolutely no idea which servers will be involved in routing your data ... but it will usually be at least 10-15 different hops if you are not accessing a local server.

Do a ROUTE TRACE sometime (at command prompt type TRACERT www.website.com) - you'll be amazed at the number of hops.

Effectively then, ANYTHING sent via the internet has the privacy equivalent of something like a postcard in the real world. Any mail sorter or postal agent could read that postcard - if they could be bothered.

So it is with internet protocols and messages. If it's been sent unencrypted, then there is probably a cached copy on half a dozen servers for the next 24-72 hours ...