Google GMail Privacy Issues

[mboydnv]

Scary!
"Google's generous mail service creates risks as well. While AOL purges customer e-mail from its servers after 28 days unless users specify otherwise, Gmail encourages users to hold onto their messages indefinitely.

Most people don't know that a 1986 law gives less protection from government searches to messages more than six months old, said Ari Schwartz, an associate director at the Center for Democracy and Technology.

"That doesn't mean that Google needs to change its technology, but they do need to do some consumer education," he said.

Even when a user deletes a message it may remain on company servers, according to the Gmail privacy policy."

[cnn.com...]

[digitalv]

Yeah, we've had these conversations before GMail even came out ... if you're that paranoid about the government reading your e-mail, just turn off the computer and stay off the Internet. You conspiracy kooks are always good for a few laughs if nothing else.