It wasn't long ago that Google claimed (in defense of its policy) that Gmail users should have no illusions about the privacy of their messages, and now the giant is being called upon to answer even more serious charges, after a case has been filed against it after a long-term collection of evidence. The charge: Eavesdropping.
Specifically, two federal judges reviewed various lawsuits against Google regarding the illegal collection of personal data in recent years through the Gmail and Street View services, and decided to file two different indictments against it with the common goal of wiretapping for its benefit.
The news comes at a time when Google is trying to convince the European Union of its "pure intentions", namely that it collects data with absolute security to serve the needs of its users without sharing it with third parties (...), but such a serious accusation could change what applies to email services in general and not just Gmail.
The Gmail case involves the automatic scanning of messages to tailor ads based on the user's content, preferences, and activity, and involves even those who are not users of the service but whose messages are received by a Gmail user. This type of "scanning" is considered to violate wiretapping laws, at least in the US.
According to the plaintiffs,
“Google is using Gmail for its own secret data mining system, which intercepts, stores and uses the private thoughts and ideas of millions of unsuspecting Americans who exchange emails via Gmail.”
Google, in turn, claims that this is an attempt to incriminate a classic business practice, as the “scanning” of messages is done automatically without any human supervision and it is the same company that determines which messages are malicious, as well as categorizing them into folders. After all, it is clearly stated in the Terms of Use of the service with which the user must agree before registering.
The case is being heard by Judge Koh, who became particularly well-known in Silicon Valley for the Samsung-Apple dispute, with reports saying that she "doesn't care" about big names and giants. In this particular case, she does not consider Google's excuse to be worthy:
“Google’s alleged interception of email content is primarily done to create user profiles (without their permission) and provide targeted advertising. None of this has anything to do with the transmission of emails. If we accept Google’s theory that Gmail users tacitly accept this interception, then what about the messages of users who are not members of the service?”
Google's defense says it is deeply disappointed by Ms. Koh's stance and is considering its options. However, it argues that automatic scanning provides Gmail users with protection against spam and useful features like Priority Inbox.
The case has a long future and as we mentioned, the final decision may radically change the way all email services operate. What do you think? Is it worth them controlling our data to provide better services or is everything being done exclusively for their own pocket?
Source: techgear.gr
