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Google has posted a lengthy new (I think) "Gmail and Privacy" [gmail.google.com] page (set of pages, actually) that goes into great detail about the issues that have been raised over the past couple months.
In response to the "sender's rights" crowd, they say:
Senders should have the right to decide whom to send messages to, and to choose an email provider that they trust to deliver those messages. Recipients should also have certain rights, including the right to choose the method by which to view their messages. Recipients should have the right to read their email any way they choose....
And on perception vs. reality:
Let's be clear: there are issues with email privacy, and these issues are common to all email providers. The main issue is that the contents of your messages are stored on mailservers for some period of time; there is always a danger that these messages can be obtained and used for purposes that may harm you. There exists a real opportunity for misuse of your information by governments, as well as by your email provider. Careful consideration of the relevant issues, close scrutiny of email providers' practices and policies, and suitable vigilance and enforcement of appropriate legislation are the best defenses against misuse of your information. The only alternative is to avoid new technology altogether, and forego the benefits it provides.
And they also trot out many recent media articles and reviews that debunk the anti-Gmail privacy crusade to one degree or another.
Very interesting altogether.
Its good that they are addressing personal 'rights'.
I have the right to choose not to send e-mails to anyone with a g-mail account, which I will exercise. If I send an e-mail to someone I don't expect my content to be used as a delivery system for someone else's spam.
I also have the right to ban any g-mails received at the server level, which I will also exercise. I will give all my clients the option - its their shout.
This is the way that I choose to exercise my rights - I don't particularly want to force anyone else to do the same - each to his or her own.
... but, come on big-G, a little less rhetoric and a little more flexibility might be a good idea.
Opt-in spam is still spam.
No, "opt-in spam" is an oxymoron, like a "consensual rape."
Gmail users have opted into seeing occasional ads next e-mails they receive.
Other e-mail users may have opted into seeing a picture of their Aunt Lilly's eyes next to their mail app. Or maybe they have a tickertape of recent RSS feeds scrolling right above mail they receive. Or perhaps their Outlook determines whether the mail is from a listed contact or contains a certain keyword, and if so, rings a bell and pops up a message.
Users who subscribe to Gmail know exactly what they're getting, and approve of it.
Users who send mail to anyone (Gmail users or otherwise) have no direct knowledge nor ability to give or withhold consent regarding how their e-mail is displayed. It may be translated into Swahili. It may be shown in a 19.3pt Garamond font... bright fuschia, too!
You may not be pleased with this, but when you send e-mail, it's out of your hands. Period. End of story.
Whatever it is, Gmail has absolutely nothing to do with spam.
Oh, and I almost forgot to add... I like Google's new privacy page overall. It's a shame that this information has trickled out bit by bit (I'm sure they're hitting themselves over the head for the way they handled these issues initially!), and I also would aim for something a bit more succinct. But overall, I think it's a great move.
