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While it's possible Google might snoop on their competitors email to figure out their strategy, I'd think the possible consequences if they got caught would be

While it's possible Google might snoop on their competitors email to figure out their strategy, I'd think the possible consequences if they got caught would be too significant for any possible benefit. With regard to the guy that got fired for looking at other people's messages, one rogue engineer messing with a couple people is very different than a deliberate corporate strategy of espionage. If Google got caught doing that, they'd never be able to pursue government or enterprise contracts again.

archgrove 16y ago
I agree, and I very much doubt they'd ever do something like this. My argument is just one of prudence - if you wouldn't leave your business plans and private data lying around in a competitors house, why would you risk even the 10^-7% chance that doing so with Google would damage you when running your own e-mail server (or, if you don't want the maintenance, encrypting e-mail through G-mail) is relatively trivial? Looking back in time and given what's happened, would Google the Startup have been wise hosting their e-mail on Hotmail?
pbhjpbhj 16y ago
>With regard to the guy that got fired for looking at other people's messages, one rogue engineer messing with a couple people is very different than a deliberate corporate strategy of espionage. Consider the case of the UK PM's director of communications (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson#Renewed_allegations_on_phone_hacking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson#Renewed_allegation...). He was a newspaper editor that allegedly¹ instigated the use of phone cracking to get info on celebs and public figures. Of course once caught he denied having knowledge despite those doing the cracking saying that he instructed them to do it. Result: the peons get it in the neck and the top brass get positions of greater power. I don't think Google are doing something like that but I'm sure more than one rogue elsewhere, in the past, was actually following orders. ¹ - weasel words! Edit: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/phone-hacking-news-of-the-world-emails-lost-on-the-way-to-india-2164312.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/phone-hacking... for anyone interested; they "lost" the emails sending them to India and of course a major newspaper never keeps backups ...

archgrove 16y ago

I agree, and I very much doubt they'd ever do something like this. My argument is just one of prudence - if you wouldn't leave your business plans and private data lying around in a competitors house, why would you risk even the 10^-7% chance that doing so with Google would damage you when running your own e-mail server (or, if you don't want the maintenance, encrypting e-mail through G-mail) is relatively trivial? Looking back in time and given what's happened, would Google the Startup have been wise hosting their e-mail on Hotmail?

pbhjpbhj 16y ago

>With regard to the guy that got fired for looking at other people's messages, one rogue engineer messing with a couple people is very different than a deliberate corporate strategy of espionage. Consider the case of the UK PM's director of communications (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson#Renewed_allegations_on_phone_hacking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson#Renewed_allegation...). He was a newspaper editor that allegedly¹ instigated the use of phone cracking to get info on celebs and public figures. Of course once caught he denied having knowledge despite those doing the cracking saying that he instructed them to do it. Result: the peons get it in the neck and the top brass get positions of greater power. I don't think Google are doing something like that but I'm sure more than one rogue elsewhere, in the past, was actually following orders. ¹ - weasel words! Edit: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/phone-hacking-news-of-the-world-emails-lost-on-the-way-to-india-2164312.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/phone-hacking... for anyone interested; they "lost" the emails sending them to India and of course a major newspaper never keeps backups ...