Gmail Controversy

Gmail Controversy [+ favourites]

I want to get some opinions from you guys on a new service Google is providing that has stirred up some controversy.

It's called Gmail and it's a free e-mail service (exactly like hotmail) except it has more advanced sorting techniques etc. It is run by Google.

What's the controversy?

Well, unique to this free online e-mail service is that Google will provide content relevent ads throughout Gmail, even using the text from your personal e-mails as guides to determine what ads to provide.

A lot of people are screaming bloody murder now because they are stating it is a violation of civil rights for Google to scan their personal e-mails for the purpose of targeted advertising, and this could open up an entirely new era with lack of personal security.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

Do they read E-mails that they receive as well as send?
I see no problem with them reading messages made my Gmail users (if people know about it beforehand).
They should not however ever touch the email content of non-Gmail users that Gmail users receive.

"Durch Nacht und Blut das Licht"

As far as I know, the nature of it is any pages viewed from within the Gmail interface will have advertising, and that advertising will source its targeting information from all the text on the page.

That text may contain an old e-mail that was sent from a Gmail account or an e-mail received from any other account. So if you were to send something to rob@gmail.com from poopy@hotmail.com, the contents of that e-mail would be scanned for advertising purposes if viewed by rob@gmail.com from within the Gmail control panel.

"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

OK, that's pretty messed up.
Do you suppose other email providers could do this without our knowing?

"Durch Nacht und Blut das Licht"

Nope... and Google is quite forthcoming about it. It clearly states on their main page and also terms of service that they will be using your text to provide targeted ads.

"Hating everyone protects me from elitism."

As long as you are plainly explained this before you sign up for it, then what is the big deal? People have to get there money somehow, and being that they already provide a great service free, then I say go for it!

"I'd like to say something profound....."SOMETHING PROFOUND""

well i was wondering, a lot of criticism about gmail. i myself own one and i love it. simple, fast, clever hot keys, and an amazing amount of storage. what would be the difference of hotmail/yahoo scanning your recieved emails for viruses and such? how come i don't hear a lot of commotion about that? but it's wrong for google to have their 'program' to just scan the text of your email and site out related links corresponding to your email. i just don't get it, ridiculous if you ask me.