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I wish Google provided an API to lookup a sender's reputation so that even a locally deployed spam filter could use the information.

Someone1234 12y ago
Too easy for spammers to utilise to game the system. Just make a new domain (reputation 0) then keep on sending different emails to see how the reputation changes. The linked reply kind of covers this (e.g. security through obscurity).
rkuykendall-com 12y ago
I wonder if Google uses "shadowbanning." If a spam account emails another spam account, is the email filtered? I know that's probably not why it's private, but it got me thinking.
- crazypyro 12y ago
  They use shadowbanning on newly created accounts at the very least. If you don't have an active token on gmail creation (this is referenced in the OP by the randomized javascript), your account gets tagged and wiped in banwaves.
JohnTHaller 12y ago
It wouldn't be in Google's best interest to do so. First, it could be used by spammers to lookup their own reputation for a given IP or domain before deciding whether to move on. Second, it would enable competitors to use some of Google's hard work in their products.
- serf 12y ago
  a central authority for email reputation is one of the ideas put out by Mike during his presentation at RIPE, not that his ideas are Googles'. https://ripe64.ripe.net/archives/video/25/ https://ripe64.ripe.net/archives/video/25/
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
ill0gicity 12y ago
I don't believe Google wants to turn GMail into a data broker service, especially one that powerful. Why? Besides the obvious (spammers use it to learn how to beat the system, and other companies use it to compete with GMail) you'll be creating an insane amount of workload in having to deal with all the complaints. The current system of "spam is what our users say it is" leaves very little for debate. As someone who's run large email systems this appeals to my laziness.
dpweb 12y ago
Wait! Maybe not so fast dismissing this.. G already does this, with web search. It ranks reputations and its publicly available. Trying to game the system in web search is a huge thing, cause there's a big reward. But G fights it pretty well. Not such a bad idea G publicly ranks mail senders.
superuser2 12y ago
GMail's size and centralization is its competitive advantage. It's not in Google's interests for you to benefit from its data mining efforts without also contributing to them.

Someone1234 12y ago

Too easy for spammers to utilise to game the system. Just make a new domain (reputation 0) then keep on sending different emails to see how the reputation changes. The linked reply kind of covers this (e.g. security through obscurity).

rkuykendall-com 12y ago

I wonder if Google uses "shadowbanning." If a spam account emails another spam account, is the email filtered? I know that's probably not why it's private, but it got me thinking.

crazypyro 12y ago
They use shadowbanning on newly created accounts at the very least. If you don't have an active token on gmail creation (this is referenced in the OP by the randomized javascript), your account gets tagged and wiped in banwaves.

JohnTHaller 12y ago

It wouldn't be in Google's best interest to do so. First, it could be used by spammers to lookup their own reputation for a given IP or domain before deciding whether to move on. Second, it would enable competitors to use some of Google's hard work in their products.

serf 12y ago
a central authority for email reputation is one of the ideas put out by Mike during his presentation at RIPE, not that his ideas are Googles'. https://ripe64.ripe.net/archives/video/25/ https://ripe64.ripe.net/archives/video/25/

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

ill0gicity 12y ago

I don't believe Google wants to turn GMail into a data broker service, especially one that powerful. Why? Besides the obvious (spammers use it to learn how to beat the system, and other companies use it to compete with GMail) you'll be creating an insane amount of workload in having to deal with all the complaints. The current system of "spam is what our users say it is" leaves very little for debate. As someone who's run large email systems this appeals to my laziness.

dpweb 12y ago

Wait! Maybe not so fast dismissing this.. G already does this, with web search. It ranks reputations and its publicly available. Trying to game the system in web search is a huge thing, cause there's a big reward. But G fights it pretty well. Not such a bad idea G publicly ranks mail senders.

superuser2 12y ago

GMail's size and centralization is its competitive advantage. It's not in Google's interests for you to benefit from its data mining efforts without also contributing to them.