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From the article: > Google might agree to let a random online shopping company scan what I’m typing into Gmail, but I did not agree. Google might, in the sens

From the article: > Google might agree to let a random online shopping company scan what I’m typing into Gmail, but I did not agree. Google might, in the sense that they could start, but Google doesn't do (and never has done) what is described. First of all, Google has never let companies scan what you type. It did let companies target based on content of messages, but that involves advertisers sharing targeting information with Google, not Google sharing email content with advertisers. Second of all, even that stopped last year. From the Google announcement: > G Suite’s Gmail is already not used as input for ads personalization, and Google has decided to follow suit later this year in our free consumer Gmail service. Consumer Gmail content will not be used or scanned for any ads personalization after this change. This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products. ( https://blog.google/products/gmail/g-suite-gains-traction-in-the-enterprise-g-suites-gmail-and-consumer-gmail-to-more-closely-align/ https://blog.google/products/gmail/g-suite-gains-traction-in... )

ucaetano 8y ago
> Google might, in the sense that they could start, but Google doesn't do (and never has done) what is described. Yep, this is the point where it shows that the author has no idea what this is about. The entire case of the GMail-reading outrage was around the fact that the user had explicitly allowed that the 3rd party app read their emails. Sure, you can argue that you clicked by accident, or that Google shouldn't even allow it in the first place, but saying that the user did not explicitly consent, is bullshit.
- gumby 8y ago
  How is this different from the mystery terms in the ToS or click-to-install license you clicked on without reading?
  - ucaetano 8y ago
    There was a big warning on the screen saying that you're giving access to a 3rd party all to read all your emails. This wasn't something buried deep into a long ToS, this was someone explicitly asking you for the keys to your house. Not sure what you expect when giving access to your emails...
mtgx 8y ago
What about Gmail add-on developers? Do they get access to email content?
- tracker1 8y ago
  Just to be clear... You're installing a plugin for a given website, and don't think it should be able to access content for that website?
  - barell 8y ago
    There is no such a thing like plugin which can operate only on one website. Plugin in browser is like an app on Windows. Once you install it and run it, it can access anything. I think the main problem these days is lack of understanding how computers and Internet work.
    - JeanMarcS 8y ago
      I think GP is responding to the gmail plugin comment, so yeah, it’s a plugin for a website.
- ken 8y ago
  On the first google.com hit for "gmail add-on" [1]: "Gmail add-ons examine incoming messages, then act on these messages in various ways, such as by: - Displaying additional information for the user in the Gmail UI. - Connecting to non-Google services, to retrieve information or take other actions." So yeah, it looks like there's no security at all offered by Gmail add-ons. [1]: https://developers.google.com/gmail/add-ons/ https://developers.google.com/gmail/add-ons/
  - candiodari 8y ago
    How is this different from, say, Outlook addons ? Or thunderbird ones for that matter. As the message says, outlook addons react to message contents ... so of course they need to access it. You are not protected from the software you choose to run. I find it a bit weird that you'd want that at all to be honest. But you can choose to run other software. If you're going to complain along these lines, I'd say browser plugins are so much scarier. They don't just have access to your mails, but to your web banking as well, and can (and have) for example override which account you transfer to, and how much.

ucaetano 8y ago

> Google might, in the sense that they could start, but Google doesn't do (and never has done) what is described. Yep, this is the point where it shows that the author has no idea what this is about. The entire case of the GMail-reading outrage was around the fact that the user had explicitly allowed that the 3rd party app read their emails. Sure, you can argue that you clicked by accident, or that Google shouldn't even allow it in the first place, but saying that the user did not explicitly consent, is bullshit.

gumby 8y ago
How is this different from the mystery terms in the ToS or click-to-install license you clicked on without reading?
- ucaetano 8y ago
  There was a big warning on the screen saying that you're giving access to a 3rd party all to read all your emails. This wasn't something buried deep into a long ToS, this was someone explicitly asking you for the keys to your house. Not sure what you expect when giving access to your emails...

mtgx 8y ago

What about Gmail add-on developers? Do they get access to email content?

tracker1 8y ago
Just to be clear... You're installing a plugin for a given website, and don't think it should be able to access content for that website?
- barell 8y ago
  There is no such a thing like plugin which can operate only on one website. Plugin in browser is like an app on Windows. Once you install it and run it, it can access anything. I think the main problem these days is lack of understanding how computers and Internet work.
  - JeanMarcS 8y ago
    I think GP is responding to the gmail plugin comment, so yeah, it’s a plugin for a website.
ken 8y ago
On the first google.com hit for "gmail add-on" [1]: "Gmail add-ons examine incoming messages, then act on these messages in various ways, such as by: - Displaying additional information for the user in the Gmail UI. - Connecting to non-Google services, to retrieve information or take other actions." So yeah, it looks like there's no security at all offered by Gmail add-ons. [1]: https://developers.google.com/gmail/add-ons/ https://developers.google.com/gmail/add-ons/
- candiodari 8y ago
  How is this different from, say, Outlook addons ? Or thunderbird ones for that matter. As the message says, outlook addons react to message contents ... so of course they need to access it. You are not protected from the software you choose to run. I find it a bit weird that you'd want that at all to be honest. But you can choose to run other software. If you're going to complain along these lines, I'd say browser plugins are so much scarier. They don't just have access to your mails, but to your web banking as well, and can (and have) for example override which account you transfer to, and how much.