webmail: todos a remolque de Gmail
El anunciado servicio de webmail de Google con un gigabyte de capacidad de almacenamiento ha hecho que todo el resto de servicios similares se "pongan las pilas", empezando a ofrecer características similares... aunque Google aún puede guardar más de un as en su manga.
En el momento de ser anunciado al mundo, este pasado 1 de abril, muchos pensaron que era una simple broma; esto era debido a la coincidencia de fechas con la versión anglosajona del día de los inocentes, el "April Fool's Day". Pero no, Google pronto demostró que Gmail era una realidad, aunque fuese en fase beta, y de espectaculares características: 1 gigabyte de almacenamiento, potentes herramientas de búsqueda de mensajes, filtros anti-spam y posibilidad de guardar los mensajes en forma de "conversaciones" (lo que quiere decir que habrá una relación lógica entre un mensaje recibido o enviado y la respuesta, la respuesta a esta respuesta y así sucesivamente...).
Gmail se financiará a base de publicidad, con anuncios insertados en cada mensaje y que guardarán relación con el contenido de este. Y esto último ha provocado también la primera polémica relacionada con el servicio, pues varias entidades de defensa de la intimidad opinan que esta práctica, aunque se haga de forma automatizada por medio de computadoras, consiste en una violación de la intimidad del usuario.
La giga de capacidad de almacenamiento prometida por Google es el principal gancho que ofrece, y dista a años luz de lo que hasta ahora han venido ofreciendo los servicios de webmail gratuito, usualmente entre 1 y 25 megas, pese a que los grandes del sector como Yahoo! Mail y Hotmail (propiedad de Microsoft) ofrecen 4 y 2 megabytes respectivamente.
La atención mediática conseguida por Google con Gmail y, por extensión, la expectación con la que los internautas aguardan la inauguración oficial de este servicio, ha puesto en guardia a sus más directos rivales. El primero en reaccionar fue Yahoo!, aunque Lycos le ha tomado la delantera anunciando su servicio "Lycos Personal" en la Gran Bretaña. Por 3,49 Libras mensuales disponemos de un dominio con 50 cuentas de correo con 1 gigabyte de capacidad cada uno, 50 megabytes en adjuntos por cada mensaje enviado y capacidad ilimitada en adjuntos recibidos. Aunque este es el primer servicio de correo electrónico con 1 giga de capacidad, existe no obstante una notable diferencia con el servicio que ofrecerá Google: mientras que este es gratuito, el de Lycos es de pago.
Yahoo! prepara para este verano una ampliación de la capacidad de sus diferentes servicios de webmail. Para los usuarios del servicio gratuito el espacio disponible se aumentará de los 4 megabytes actuales hasta los 100, mientras que según ha informado Yahoo!, los usuarios de pago gozarán de espacio ilimitado.
Y entre todos ellos, el portal Spymac hace ya algún tiempo que empezó a ofrecer la capacidad de un gigabyte para sus usuarios.
Pero si creían que ya lo habían visto todo en el campo del webmail, puede ser que Google nos depare alguna otra sorpresa, pues algunos betatesters de Gmail pudieron apreciar hace algunos días como la capacidad de su cuenta se disparaba hasta 1 terabyte (1.000 gigabytes)... Google informó que se trataba de un error, pero la rumorología se disparó en la Red. ¿Y si...?
Más información:
Gmail
http://gmail.google.com/
About Gmail
http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/about.html
Lycos Personal
http://premiummail.lycos.co.uk/Europe/Bin/Packs/packs.jsp?typePack=2&TARGETCODE=UK_comparison_rtcontentinfo_general_personal
Spymac
http://www.spymac.com/
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Google responde a la ley californiana anti GMail.
Juggler, 29/05/2004 (10:51).
Unas pocas horas después de recien publicada la noticia acerca de la ley californiana sobre la privacidad en el correo electrónico, Google contesta a la misma.
La extensa respuesta de Google defiende GMail, afirmando que el sistema no comparte información con tercera parte alguna.
Según Google sus anunciantes no controlan si sus enlaces se muestran en GMail o en cualesquiera otros medios de Google, como por ejemplo el buscador.
En la respuesta Google también sostiene que la publicidad GMail evitará los contenidos escabrosos y/o delicados, por lo que será un servicio apto para todos los públicos.
En cuanto al tema del escaneo del correo electrónico, Google sostiene que tanto Yahoo como Hotmail lo hacen actualmente en beneficio del usuario para detectar y eliminar el correo basura.
Finalmente defienden el derecho de los usuarios a elegir GMail y defienden la práctica de retener los correos incluso después de cancelada una cuenta como una práctica habitual del inherente al sistema de copias de seguridad.
Juggler, 29/05/2004 (10:51).
Unas pocas horas después de recien publicada la noticia acerca de la ley californiana sobre la privacidad en el correo electrónico, Google contesta a la misma.
La extensa respuesta de Google defiende GMail, afirmando que el sistema no comparte información con tercera parte alguna.
Según Google sus anunciantes no controlan si sus enlaces se muestran en GMail o en cualesquiera otros medios de Google, como por ejemplo el buscador.
En la respuesta Google también sostiene que la publicidad GMail evitará los contenidos escabrosos y/o delicados, por lo que será un servicio apto para todos los públicos.
En cuanto al tema del escaneo del correo electrónico, Google sostiene que tanto Yahoo como Hotmail lo hacen actualmente en beneficio del usuario para detectar y eliminar el correo basura.
Finalmente defienden el derecho de los usuarios a elegir GMail y defienden la práctica de retener los correos incluso después de cancelada una cuenta como una práctica habitual del inherente al sistema de copias de seguridad.
Derechos : Aprobada ley anti-GMail en California
La senadora de California Liz Figueroa, del partido Demócrata, presentó una propuesta de Ley tras la aparición de GMail para la limitar la capacidad de los prestadores del servivio de correo electrónico en cuanto a la utilización de la información personal de sus usuarios para generar publicidad asociada al contenido de los correos electrónicos. Muchas voces, incluida la de un servidor, alertaron sobre los posibles riesgos que servicios como GMail tienen para la privacidad de sus usuarios en cuanto apareció. Pues bien, el Senado de California ha aprobado la "ley Figueroa". En ella se permite la generación de publicidad asociada a la semántica del contenido en los correos electrónicos o en la mensajería instantánea, pero establece ciertas restricciones sobre cómo esta información puede ser utilizada.
Supongamos un escenario. Tengo ciertos correos relativos a mis inquietudes políticas, religiosas o sexuales. GMail generará anuncios asociados a dicho contenido, lo cual no tendría nada perjudicial de entrada si sólo yo veo y conozco dichos anuncios. El peligro se encuentra en el momento en que dicha información relativa al contenido privado de mis correos quede almacenada en el sistema GMail. Sería lo lógico: los anunciantes querrán saber que sus anuncios se han publicado y han sido "clickeados" por distintos usuarios y no que el mismo, por fastidiar por ejemplo, ha pinchado cien veces en el mismo. En Adsense, la publicidad análoga de Google para las páginas web, esta información se guarda.
La ley Figueroa establece que dicha información asociada al contenido de mis correos no puede ser almacenada, dada a terceros o mostrada a ningún empleado de GMail o persona "natural". Es lógico que los ordenadores del sistema GMail accedan y procesen dichos datos, pero se impide que sean guardados y queden accesibles a personas. Uno de los elementos que quiso introducir la senadora Figueroa era la de exigir la aceptación expresa del emisor desde otro sistema para que su correo fuese escaneado para generar publicidad, con lo que GMail podrá seguir adelante en California. Si hubiese sido añadida dicha restricción, que para poder enviar un correo desde Yahoo a GMail tuviese que dar un permiso expreso, ¿quién se hubiera encargado de articular este mecanismo?, es posible que ningún otro sistema hubiese sido capaz de enviar correo a Gmail.
Google, según news.com, ha estado trabajando con Figueroa con vistas a obtener un acuerdo y afirma que se ha conseguido en los puntos clave, pero no en ciertos detalles. Llevan desde que apareció GMail y las críticas asociadas a este afirmando que las tendrán en cuenta para su salida a producción. Habrá que estar atentos a la reacción de los distintos legisladores y a las reformas de GMail para contrastarlo.
La senadora de California Liz Figueroa, del partido Demócrata, presentó una propuesta de Ley tras la aparición de GMail para la limitar la capacidad de los prestadores del servivio de correo electrónico en cuanto a la utilización de la información personal de sus usuarios para generar publicidad asociada al contenido de los correos electrónicos. Muchas voces, incluida la de un servidor, alertaron sobre los posibles riesgos que servicios como GMail tienen para la privacidad de sus usuarios en cuanto apareció. Pues bien, el Senado de California ha aprobado la "ley Figueroa". En ella se permite la generación de publicidad asociada a la semántica del contenido en los correos electrónicos o en la mensajería instantánea, pero establece ciertas restricciones sobre cómo esta información puede ser utilizada.
Supongamos un escenario. Tengo ciertos correos relativos a mis inquietudes políticas, religiosas o sexuales. GMail generará anuncios asociados a dicho contenido, lo cual no tendría nada perjudicial de entrada si sólo yo veo y conozco dichos anuncios. El peligro se encuentra en el momento en que dicha información relativa al contenido privado de mis correos quede almacenada en el sistema GMail. Sería lo lógico: los anunciantes querrán saber que sus anuncios se han publicado y han sido "clickeados" por distintos usuarios y no que el mismo, por fastidiar por ejemplo, ha pinchado cien veces en el mismo. En Adsense, la publicidad análoga de Google para las páginas web, esta información se guarda.
La ley Figueroa establece que dicha información asociada al contenido de mis correos no puede ser almacenada, dada a terceros o mostrada a ningún empleado de GMail o persona "natural". Es lógico que los ordenadores del sistema GMail accedan y procesen dichos datos, pero se impide que sean guardados y queden accesibles a personas. Uno de los elementos que quiso introducir la senadora Figueroa era la de exigir la aceptación expresa del emisor desde otro sistema para que su correo fuese escaneado para generar publicidad, con lo que GMail podrá seguir adelante en California. Si hubiese sido añadida dicha restricción, que para poder enviar un correo desde Yahoo a GMail tuviese que dar un permiso expreso, ¿quién se hubiera encargado de articular este mecanismo?, es posible que ningún otro sistema hubiese sido capaz de enviar correo a Gmail.
Google, según news.com, ha estado trabajando con Figueroa con vistas a obtener un acuerdo y afirma que se ha conseguido en los puntos clave, pero no en ciertos detalles. Llevan desde que apareció GMail y las críticas asociadas a este afirmando que las tendrán en cuenta para su salida a producción. Habrá que estar atentos a la reacción de los distintos legisladores y a las reformas de GMail para contrastarlo.
Gmail and Privacy
Recently there has been a fair amount of discussion, including in the media and in legislative corridors, about Gmail and privacy. Google takes privacy very seriously. We are very upfront about our policies and we welcome a discussion of user experience and public policy as it relates to the Internet, email, and our services.
Some of the present dialogue, however, has been inaccurate, especially with regard to privacy concerns surrounding Gmail. Gmail does not represent a compromise or invasion of anyone's privacy.
We built Gmail to be the best and most useful webmail service in the world. A free service for anyone who wants it. And we built it with users' privacy in mind.
Below, we've provided a lot of detail to clear up some of the misinformation. But don't just take our word for it. Read what respected journalists and users have to say once they've tried Gmail.
Topics in detail
* Privacy in email
* Targeted ads in Gmail
* Scanning email content
* Rights of senders and recipients
* Commercialism and user choice
* Data retention
* Protecting your privacy
* Gmail and the law
* Public reaction versus privacy reality
Privacy in email
In personal email communications, there has always been, and always should be, an expectation of privacy between the sender and the intended recipients of a message, enabling open communication with friends, colleagues, family, and others.
Privacy is compromised, however, if personal information or private email content is shared with parties other than the sender and intended recipients without their consent. This is not the case when people use Gmail. Google does not share or reveal email content or personal information with third parties. Email messages remain strictly between the sender and intended recipients, even when only one of the parties is a Gmail user.
Of course, the law and common sense dictate some exceptions. These exceptions include requests by users that Google's support staff access their email messages in order to diagnose problems; when Google is required by law to do so; and when we are compelled to disclose personal information because we reasonably believe it's necessary in order to protect the rights, property or safety of Google, its users and the public. For full details, please refer to the 'When we may disclose your personal information' section of our privacy policy. These exceptions are standard across the industry and are necessary for email providers to assist their users and to meet legal requirements.
Targeted ads in Gmail
All major free webmail services carry advertising, and most of it is irrelevant to the people who see it. Google believes that showing relevant advertising offers more value to users than displaying random pop-ups or untargeted banner ads. In Gmail, users will see text ads and links to related pages that are relevant to the content of their messages. The links to related pages are similar to Google search results, and are culled from Google's extensive index of web pages. They are selected solely for their helpfulness and are not paid advertisements.
In Gmail, ads appear alongside messages, in the same way that ads appear next to search results on Google. As this screenshot shows, the ads are clearly identified as 'Sponsored Links.' They are displayed in a way that doesn't interrupt users as they read their messages and ads are never inserted into the body text of either incoming or outgoing Gmail messages.
Ads and links to related pages only appear alongside the message that they are targeted to, and are only shown when the Gmail user, whether sender or recipient, is viewing that particular message. No email content or other personally identifiable information is ever shared with advertisers. In fact, advertisers do not even know how often their ads are shown in Gmail, as this data is aggregated across thousands of sites in the Google Network.
By offering Gmail users relevant ads and information related to the content of their messages, we aim to offer users a better webmail experience. For example, if you and your friends are planning a vacation, you may want to see news items or travel ads about the destination you're considering.
To ensure a quality user experience for all Gmail users, we avoid showing ads reflecting sensitive or inappropriate content by only showing ads that have been classified as "Family-Safe." Gmail's filters also block ads from running next to messages about catastrophic events or tragedies, erring on the side of not displaying an ad if the content is questionable.
Many people have found that the search-related ads on Google.com can be valuable--not merely a necessarily evil, but a welcome feature. We believe that users will also find Gmail's ads and related pages to be helpful, because the information reflects their interests. In fact, we have already received positive feedback from Gmail users about the quality and usefulness of our ads and related pages.
Scanning email content
All email services scan your email. They do this routinely to provide such popular features as spam filtering, virus detection, search, spellchecking, forwarding, auto-responding, flagging urgent messages, converting incoming email into cell phone text messages, automatic saving and sorting into folders, converting text URLs to clickable links, and reading messages to the blind. These features are widely accepted, trusted, and used by hundreds of millions of people every day.
Google scans the text of Gmail messages in order to filter spam and detect viruses, just as all major webmail services do. Google also uses this scanning technology to deliver targeted text ads and other related information. This is completely automated and involves no humans.
When a user opens an email message, computers scan the text and then instantaneously display relevant information that is matched to the text of the message. Once the message is closed, ads are no longer displayed. It is important to note that the ads generated by this matching process are dynamically generated each time a message is opened by the user--in other words, Google does not attach particular ads to individual messages or to users' accounts.
We recognize that seeing ads based on the content of an email message can be unsettling at first. Our experience has been that this feeling recedes as users become more familiar with Gmail. However, some people, many of whom have not used Gmail, have reacted by condemning all automatic scanning of email content, on the grounds that it amounts to a violation of privacy. We think this criticism is misplaced. All major email services, including Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail, automatically scan email content for the benefit of users. When email messages are fully protected from unwanted disclosure, the automatic scanning of email does not amount to a violation of privacy.
On the other hand, delivering information gathered through email scanning to a third party would be a violation of privacy. Google does not do this. Neither email content nor any personal information is ever shared with other parties as a result of our ad-targeting process.
Rights of senders and recipients
Some people have expressed the concern that Gmail may compromise the privacy of those who send email messages to Gmail accounts, since the senders have not necessarily agreed to Gmail's privacy policies or Terms of Use. Though it may seem plausible at first, this worry is based on a misunderstanding of how Gmail actually works, and ignores the fact that for senders and recipients alike, there is no privacy violation to begin with. Using Gmail does not violate the privacy of senders since no one other than the recipient is allowed to read their email messages, and no one but the recipient sees targeted ads and related information.
In an email exchange, both senders and recipients should have certain rights. Senders should have the right to decide whom to send messages to, and to choose an email provider that they trust to deliver those messages. Recipients should also have certain rights, including the right to choose the method by which to view their messages. Recipients should have the right to read their email any way they choose, whether through a web interface (like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, or Hotmail), a handheld device (like a BlackBerry or cellphone), a software program (such as Outlook), or even via a personal secretary.
On the Internet, senders are not required to consent to routine automatic processing of email content, such as for spam filtering or virus detection, or the automatic flagging or filing of messages into folders based on content. Requiring senders' consent would make no sense: otherwise, no spammer would ever agree to automatic processing, and spam filtering would be impossible. Email providers essentially act as personal assistants for subscribers, holding and delivering their email messages and carrying out various tasks (such as deleting spam, removing viruses, enabling search, or displaying related information). And of course, recipients have the right to forward, delete, print or distribute any message they receive.
By choosing to use Gmail, users are seeing ads and related information that they could easily find by doing a web search using some of the keywords in their email. Google is simply presenting this information to them in a relevant and unobtrusive manner, while saving users the extra step of having to type keywords into a search engine.
There are also many scenarios in which a recipient will benefit from seeing ads and information related to an email message, without the sender's explicit consent. For example, if you receive an email offer from one local gym, there's value in seeing offers from other gyms nearby. The ability to see comparative advertising from different competitors is an important consumer right, even if the sender may not desire it.
We believe users have the right to choose a free, ad-supported webmail interface to read and send email. We believe that many users will choose the Gmail option, with full knowledge that this free service is supported by targeted advertising, and with confidence that Google is protecting the privacy of all of their email messages.
Commercialism and user choice
Some of the reaction to Gmail's targeted ads stems from a desire to restrain the encroachment of commercial activity on the Internet. Like other free webmail services, Gmail is supported by advertising. We believe that Google's ads are more useful than random pop-ups or untargeted banners, and that they offer the best possible experience for the majority of our users.
We understand that not everyone supports our position on advertising. It's harder to see why you shouldn't be allowed to make your own decisions about it. You should be able to choose for yourself how you read your email. You should have the right to decide whether or not to become a Gmail user.
Gmail is still in a limited test period. To date, most Gmail users have given us positive feedback on their experiences with the service, its features, and its ads and related links. We have seen no groundswell of privacy concerns from those actually using the product. Read just a small collection of users' feedback here.
Data retention
Some news stories have suggested that Google intends to keep copies of users' email messages even after they've deleted them, or closed their accounts. This is simply not true. Google keeps multiple backup copies of users' emails so that we can recover messages and restore accounts in case of errors or system failure. Even if a message has been deleted or an account is no longer active, messages may remain on our backup systems for some period of time. This is standard practice in the email industry, which Gmail and other major webmail services follow in order to provide a reliable service for users. We will make reasonable efforts to remove deleted information from our systems as quickly as is practical.
Protecting your privacy
Google takes privacy very seriously, and your trust is important to us. Gmail users should know:
1. Google does not share any email content or other personally identifiable information with advertisers.
2. No humans read any email messages to target advertising or related information that users may see on Gmail.
3. Users only see unobtrusive, targeted ads alongside their Gmail messages.
Google also takes several steps to guard the confidentiality of users' information by offering a number of industry-leading protections. Among other things, Gmail users benefit from:
* Encrypted access (HTTPS) available via https://gmail.google.com.
* An SSL-encrypted login by default. Your password is always encrypted when it is sent over the Internet.
* Blocked transmission of executable files, which often contain viruses or spyware that scanners may miss.
* No loading of external images by default. Many marketing or spam messages include hidden "web bugs" embedded in external images. Typically, when these images are loaded, the web bugs signal that the email address is active, thereby helping companies further perfect their recipient list for marketing or spam messages. Not loading external images helps to prevent this.
* Minimized "referrer" header information. When you click on links in messages, the web browser that loads contains a referrer header. When you click on links in Gmail, Google takes steps to eliminate this referrer header, preventing others from knowing that you clicked on a link from an email.
Gmail and the law
Many of the concerns around Gmail have centered on the use of automatic scanning technology to deliver relevant ads and related information, instead of untargeted commercial messages. These concerns are misdirected. Automatic scanning technology alone does not make it any easier for a government to obtain or access your email messages or other private information. Furthermore, email scanning is already being used by all email services to provide a host of popular features including spam filtering and virus detection.
Google does, however, comply with valid legal process, such as search warrants, court orders, or subpoenas seeking account information. These same processes apply to all law-abiding companies. As has always been the case, the primary protections you have against intrusions by the government are the laws that apply to where you live.
For more information about the laws applying to government surveillance or other requests for personal information in the United States, you may want to read the following:
* The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2701, et seq.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/pIch121.html
* The ACLU's web page about the USA PATRIOT Act
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12126&c=207
* The Center for Democracy and Technology's web page about government surveillance
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/
* The Subpoena Defense Alliance
http://www.subpoenadefense.org/
Public reaction versus privacy reality
When we began the limited test of Gmail, we expected our service would be the subject of intense interest. What we did not anticipate was the reaction from some privacy activists, editorial writers and legislators, many of whom condemned Gmail without first seeing it for themselves. We were surprised to find that some of these activists and organizations refused to even talk to us, or to try first-hand the very service they were criticizing. As we read news stories about Gmail, we have regularly noticed factual errors and out-of-context quotations. Misinformation about Gmail has spread across the web.
That's unfortunate for Google, but why should you care? Because it may affect your right to make your own decisions about how you read your mail. This misinformation threatens to eliminate legitimate and useful consumer choices by means of legislation aimed at innocuous and privacy-aware aspects of our service, while simultaneously deflecting attention from the real privacy issues inherent to all email systems.
Let's be clear: there are issues with email privacy, and these issues are common to all email providers. The main issue is that the contents of your messages are stored on mailservers for some period of time; there is always a danger that these messages can be obtained and used for purposes that may harm you. There exists a real opportunity for misuse of your information by governments, as well as by your email provider. Careful consideration of the relevant issues, close scrutiny of email providers' practices and policies, and suitable vigilance and enforcement of appropriate legislation are the best defenses against misuse of your information. The only alternative is to avoid new technology altogether, and forego the benefits it provides.
Various people and organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), have been helping to focus the debate on the real issues surrounding privacy and email. We've welcomed their input on Gmail and are engaging in a productive dialogue with them, and others.
When we began the limited test of Gmail, we had policies that were substantively no different from those of all other major webmail services. However, we understand that as a leader in our industry, we are held to a higher standard. We don't believe that the questions around email and privacy are resolved, and we are working to better understand what the issues currently are, and what they will be in the future. We are keenly interested in addressing these issues head-on, and in helping to fashion guidelines and public policies that protect the privacy of not only Gmail users, but everyone. We'd like your help in that process.
Recently there has been a fair amount of discussion, including in the media and in legislative corridors, about Gmail and privacy. Google takes privacy very seriously. We are very upfront about our policies and we welcome a discussion of user experience and public policy as it relates to the Internet, email, and our services.
Some of the present dialogue, however, has been inaccurate, especially with regard to privacy concerns surrounding Gmail. Gmail does not represent a compromise or invasion of anyone's privacy.
We built Gmail to be the best and most useful webmail service in the world. A free service for anyone who wants it. And we built it with users' privacy in mind.
Below, we've provided a lot of detail to clear up some of the misinformation. But don't just take our word for it. Read what respected journalists and users have to say once they've tried Gmail.
Topics in detail
* Privacy in email
* Targeted ads in Gmail
* Scanning email content
* Rights of senders and recipients
* Commercialism and user choice
* Data retention
* Protecting your privacy
* Gmail and the law
* Public reaction versus privacy reality
Privacy in email
In personal email communications, there has always been, and always should be, an expectation of privacy between the sender and the intended recipients of a message, enabling open communication with friends, colleagues, family, and others.
Privacy is compromised, however, if personal information or private email content is shared with parties other than the sender and intended recipients without their consent. This is not the case when people use Gmail. Google does not share or reveal email content or personal information with third parties. Email messages remain strictly between the sender and intended recipients, even when only one of the parties is a Gmail user.
Of course, the law and common sense dictate some exceptions. These exceptions include requests by users that Google's support staff access their email messages in order to diagnose problems; when Google is required by law to do so; and when we are compelled to disclose personal information because we reasonably believe it's necessary in order to protect the rights, property or safety of Google, its users and the public. For full details, please refer to the 'When we may disclose your personal information' section of our privacy policy. These exceptions are standard across the industry and are necessary for email providers to assist their users and to meet legal requirements.
Targeted ads in Gmail
All major free webmail services carry advertising, and most of it is irrelevant to the people who see it. Google believes that showing relevant advertising offers more value to users than displaying random pop-ups or untargeted banner ads. In Gmail, users will see text ads and links to related pages that are relevant to the content of their messages. The links to related pages are similar to Google search results, and are culled from Google's extensive index of web pages. They are selected solely for their helpfulness and are not paid advertisements.
In Gmail, ads appear alongside messages, in the same way that ads appear next to search results on Google. As this screenshot shows, the ads are clearly identified as 'Sponsored Links.' They are displayed in a way that doesn't interrupt users as they read their messages and ads are never inserted into the body text of either incoming or outgoing Gmail messages.
Ads and links to related pages only appear alongside the message that they are targeted to, and are only shown when the Gmail user, whether sender or recipient, is viewing that particular message. No email content or other personally identifiable information is ever shared with advertisers. In fact, advertisers do not even know how often their ads are shown in Gmail, as this data is aggregated across thousands of sites in the Google Network.
By offering Gmail users relevant ads and information related to the content of their messages, we aim to offer users a better webmail experience. For example, if you and your friends are planning a vacation, you may want to see news items or travel ads about the destination you're considering.
To ensure a quality user experience for all Gmail users, we avoid showing ads reflecting sensitive or inappropriate content by only showing ads that have been classified as "Family-Safe." Gmail's filters also block ads from running next to messages about catastrophic events or tragedies, erring on the side of not displaying an ad if the content is questionable.
Many people have found that the search-related ads on Google.com can be valuable--not merely a necessarily evil, but a welcome feature. We believe that users will also find Gmail's ads and related pages to be helpful, because the information reflects their interests. In fact, we have already received positive feedback from Gmail users about the quality and usefulness of our ads and related pages.
Scanning email content
All email services scan your email. They do this routinely to provide such popular features as spam filtering, virus detection, search, spellchecking, forwarding, auto-responding, flagging urgent messages, converting incoming email into cell phone text messages, automatic saving and sorting into folders, converting text URLs to clickable links, and reading messages to the blind. These features are widely accepted, trusted, and used by hundreds of millions of people every day.
Google scans the text of Gmail messages in order to filter spam and detect viruses, just as all major webmail services do. Google also uses this scanning technology to deliver targeted text ads and other related information. This is completely automated and involves no humans.
When a user opens an email message, computers scan the text and then instantaneously display relevant information that is matched to the text of the message. Once the message is closed, ads are no longer displayed. It is important to note that the ads generated by this matching process are dynamically generated each time a message is opened by the user--in other words, Google does not attach particular ads to individual messages or to users' accounts.
We recognize that seeing ads based on the content of an email message can be unsettling at first. Our experience has been that this feeling recedes as users become more familiar with Gmail. However, some people, many of whom have not used Gmail, have reacted by condemning all automatic scanning of email content, on the grounds that it amounts to a violation of privacy. We think this criticism is misplaced. All major email services, including Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail, automatically scan email content for the benefit of users. When email messages are fully protected from unwanted disclosure, the automatic scanning of email does not amount to a violation of privacy.
On the other hand, delivering information gathered through email scanning to a third party would be a violation of privacy. Google does not do this. Neither email content nor any personal information is ever shared with other parties as a result of our ad-targeting process.
Rights of senders and recipients
Some people have expressed the concern that Gmail may compromise the privacy of those who send email messages to Gmail accounts, since the senders have not necessarily agreed to Gmail's privacy policies or Terms of Use. Though it may seem plausible at first, this worry is based on a misunderstanding of how Gmail actually works, and ignores the fact that for senders and recipients alike, there is no privacy violation to begin with. Using Gmail does not violate the privacy of senders since no one other than the recipient is allowed to read their email messages, and no one but the recipient sees targeted ads and related information.
In an email exchange, both senders and recipients should have certain rights. Senders should have the right to decide whom to send messages to, and to choose an email provider that they trust to deliver those messages. Recipients should also have certain rights, including the right to choose the method by which to view their messages. Recipients should have the right to read their email any way they choose, whether through a web interface (like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, or Hotmail), a handheld device (like a BlackBerry or cellphone), a software program (such as Outlook), or even via a personal secretary.
On the Internet, senders are not required to consent to routine automatic processing of email content, such as for spam filtering or virus detection, or the automatic flagging or filing of messages into folders based on content. Requiring senders' consent would make no sense: otherwise, no spammer would ever agree to automatic processing, and spam filtering would be impossible. Email providers essentially act as personal assistants for subscribers, holding and delivering their email messages and carrying out various tasks (such as deleting spam, removing viruses, enabling search, or displaying related information). And of course, recipients have the right to forward, delete, print or distribute any message they receive.
By choosing to use Gmail, users are seeing ads and related information that they could easily find by doing a web search using some of the keywords in their email. Google is simply presenting this information to them in a relevant and unobtrusive manner, while saving users the extra step of having to type keywords into a search engine.
There are also many scenarios in which a recipient will benefit from seeing ads and information related to an email message, without the sender's explicit consent. For example, if you receive an email offer from one local gym, there's value in seeing offers from other gyms nearby. The ability to see comparative advertising from different competitors is an important consumer right, even if the sender may not desire it.
We believe users have the right to choose a free, ad-supported webmail interface to read and send email. We believe that many users will choose the Gmail option, with full knowledge that this free service is supported by targeted advertising, and with confidence that Google is protecting the privacy of all of their email messages.
Commercialism and user choice
Some of the reaction to Gmail's targeted ads stems from a desire to restrain the encroachment of commercial activity on the Internet. Like other free webmail services, Gmail is supported by advertising. We believe that Google's ads are more useful than random pop-ups or untargeted banners, and that they offer the best possible experience for the majority of our users.
We understand that not everyone supports our position on advertising. It's harder to see why you shouldn't be allowed to make your own decisions about it. You should be able to choose for yourself how you read your email. You should have the right to decide whether or not to become a Gmail user.
Gmail is still in a limited test period. To date, most Gmail users have given us positive feedback on their experiences with the service, its features, and its ads and related links. We have seen no groundswell of privacy concerns from those actually using the product. Read just a small collection of users' feedback here.
Data retention
Some news stories have suggested that Google intends to keep copies of users' email messages even after they've deleted them, or closed their accounts. This is simply not true. Google keeps multiple backup copies of users' emails so that we can recover messages and restore accounts in case of errors or system failure. Even if a message has been deleted or an account is no longer active, messages may remain on our backup systems for some period of time. This is standard practice in the email industry, which Gmail and other major webmail services follow in order to provide a reliable service for users. We will make reasonable efforts to remove deleted information from our systems as quickly as is practical.
Protecting your privacy
Google takes privacy very seriously, and your trust is important to us. Gmail users should know:
1. Google does not share any email content or other personally identifiable information with advertisers.
2. No humans read any email messages to target advertising or related information that users may see on Gmail.
3. Users only see unobtrusive, targeted ads alongside their Gmail messages.
Google also takes several steps to guard the confidentiality of users' information by offering a number of industry-leading protections. Among other things, Gmail users benefit from:
* Encrypted access (HTTPS) available via https://gmail.google.com.
* An SSL-encrypted login by default. Your password is always encrypted when it is sent over the Internet.
* Blocked transmission of executable files, which often contain viruses or spyware that scanners may miss.
* No loading of external images by default. Many marketing or spam messages include hidden "web bugs" embedded in external images. Typically, when these images are loaded, the web bugs signal that the email address is active, thereby helping companies further perfect their recipient list for marketing or spam messages. Not loading external images helps to prevent this.
* Minimized "referrer" header information. When you click on links in messages, the web browser that loads contains a referrer header. When you click on links in Gmail, Google takes steps to eliminate this referrer header, preventing others from knowing that you clicked on a link from an email.
Gmail and the law
Many of the concerns around Gmail have centered on the use of automatic scanning technology to deliver relevant ads and related information, instead of untargeted commercial messages. These concerns are misdirected. Automatic scanning technology alone does not make it any easier for a government to obtain or access your email messages or other private information. Furthermore, email scanning is already being used by all email services to provide a host of popular features including spam filtering and virus detection.
Google does, however, comply with valid legal process, such as search warrants, court orders, or subpoenas seeking account information. These same processes apply to all law-abiding companies. As has always been the case, the primary protections you have against intrusions by the government are the laws that apply to where you live.
For more information about the laws applying to government surveillance or other requests for personal information in the United States, you may want to read the following:
* The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2701, et seq.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/pIch121.html
* The ACLU's web page about the USA PATRIOT Act
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12126&c=207
* The Center for Democracy and Technology's web page about government surveillance
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/
* The Subpoena Defense Alliance
http://www.subpoenadefense.org/
Public reaction versus privacy reality
When we began the limited test of Gmail, we expected our service would be the subject of intense interest. What we did not anticipate was the reaction from some privacy activists, editorial writers and legislators, many of whom condemned Gmail without first seeing it for themselves. We were surprised to find that some of these activists and organizations refused to even talk to us, or to try first-hand the very service they were criticizing. As we read news stories about Gmail, we have regularly noticed factual errors and out-of-context quotations. Misinformation about Gmail has spread across the web.
That's unfortunate for Google, but why should you care? Because it may affect your right to make your own decisions about how you read your mail. This misinformation threatens to eliminate legitimate and useful consumer choices by means of legislation aimed at innocuous and privacy-aware aspects of our service, while simultaneously deflecting attention from the real privacy issues inherent to all email systems.
Let's be clear: there are issues with email privacy, and these issues are common to all email providers. The main issue is that the contents of your messages are stored on mailservers for some period of time; there is always a danger that these messages can be obtained and used for purposes that may harm you. There exists a real opportunity for misuse of your information by governments, as well as by your email provider. Careful consideration of the relevant issues, close scrutiny of email providers' practices and policies, and suitable vigilance and enforcement of appropriate legislation are the best defenses against misuse of your information. The only alternative is to avoid new technology altogether, and forego the benefits it provides.
Various people and organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), have been helping to focus the debate on the real issues surrounding privacy and email. We've welcomed their input on Gmail and are engaging in a productive dialogue with them, and others.
When we began the limited test of Gmail, we had policies that were substantively no different from those of all other major webmail services. However, we understand that as a leader in our industry, we are held to a higher standard. We don't believe that the questions around email and privacy are resolved, and we are working to better understand what the issues currently are, and what they will be in the future. We are keenly interested in addressing these issues head-on, and in helping to fashion guidelines and public policies that protect the privacy of not only Gmail users, but everyone. We'd like your help in that process.
Derechos : Google responde a la ley de California contra GMail
Recién salida la noticia de la ley en California sobre la privacidad en el correo electrónico y otras comunicaciones en contestación al nacimiento de GMail, Google ya ha preparado una extensa respuesta defendiendo su sistema de correo electrónico. Google afirma sobre GMail que no comparte información con terceras partes y mucho menos con los anunciantes de sus AdWords. Un detalle importante en la explicación de Google es que afirman que los anunciantes no saben si sus enlaces se muestran en GMail o en cualquiera de los otros medios de Google (el buscador o las páginas web mediante AdSense), por lo que mucho menos sabrán en que usuario de GMail ha salido el enlace a su sitio.
La información que da Google es muy interesante. Afirman que GMail sólo mostrará anuncios para toda la familia, evitando temas escabrosos y filtrando que se muestren anuncios en correos sobre catástrofes o muertes. Añaden, sobre el escaneo de los correos electrónicos, que Yahoo o Hotmail ya lo hacen, en beneficio del usuario (para detectar spam por ejemplo) y que GMail lo hace de manera que ninguna otra persona tiene acceso al contenido o la semántica de las comunicaciones de sus usuarios. Otro aspecto polémico es abordado por Google: la privacidad de los usuarios de otros sistemas que envían un correo a una dirección GMail. Declaran que como nadie más que el receptor del correo va a leer el producto del escaneo del mismo, los anuncios, no se viola tampoco la privacidad de dicho emisor. Concluyen defiendiendo el derecho de los usuarios a elegir GMail y que la retención de correos incluso después de cancelada la cuenta es una práctica habitual del "gremio", inherente al sistema de copias de seguridad necesarias.
Todo esto y mucho más afirma Google sobre GMail. Un texto largo y denso que reafirma la postura de esta empresa respecto a cuestiones muy delicadas y deja alguna incógnita en el aire. Sin duda un texto a leer detenidamente: el debate sigue abierto.
Recién salida la noticia de la ley en California sobre la privacidad en el correo electrónico y otras comunicaciones en contestación al nacimiento de GMail, Google ya ha preparado una extensa respuesta defendiendo su sistema de correo electrónico. Google afirma sobre GMail que no comparte información con terceras partes y mucho menos con los anunciantes de sus AdWords. Un detalle importante en la explicación de Google es que afirman que los anunciantes no saben si sus enlaces se muestran en GMail o en cualquiera de los otros medios de Google (el buscador o las páginas web mediante AdSense), por lo que mucho menos sabrán en que usuario de GMail ha salido el enlace a su sitio.
La información que da Google es muy interesante. Afirman que GMail sólo mostrará anuncios para toda la familia, evitando temas escabrosos y filtrando que se muestren anuncios en correos sobre catástrofes o muertes. Añaden, sobre el escaneo de los correos electrónicos, que Yahoo o Hotmail ya lo hacen, en beneficio del usuario (para detectar spam por ejemplo) y que GMail lo hace de manera que ninguna otra persona tiene acceso al contenido o la semántica de las comunicaciones de sus usuarios. Otro aspecto polémico es abordado por Google: la privacidad de los usuarios de otros sistemas que envían un correo a una dirección GMail. Declaran que como nadie más que el receptor del correo va a leer el producto del escaneo del mismo, los anuncios, no se viola tampoco la privacidad de dicho emisor. Concluyen defiendiendo el derecho de los usuarios a elegir GMail y que la retención de correos incluso después de cancelada la cuenta es una práctica habitual del "gremio", inherente al sistema de copias de seguridad necesarias.
Todo esto y mucho más afirma Google sobre GMail. Un texto largo y denso que reafirma la postura de esta empresa respecto a cuestiones muy delicadas y deja alguna incógnita en el aire. Sin duda un texto a leer detenidamente: el debate sigue abierto.
Restringen el Gmail de Google en California
AGENCIA EFE El Senado de California aprobó hoy, jueves, una ley para restringir el nuevo servicio de correo electrónico de Google, llamado "Gmail", bajo el argumento de que podría poner en peligro la privacidad de los usuarios.
El Senado aprobó la primera ley de este tipo, por 24 votos a favor y 8 en contra, para limitar el alcance del servicio de correo electrónico gratuito que Google lanzó en pruebas a finales de abril.
La ley, que ahora tiene que ser aprobada por la Asamblea de California, impediría a "Gmail" almacenar un registro de todos los correos electrónicos, así como obtener información personal a partir de las misivas o facilitarla a terceras partes.
"Esta legislación garantiza que nuestras comunicaciones más privadas continuarán siéndolo", dijo la autora de la medida, la demócrata Liz Figueroa.
Google señaló en un comunicado que trabajaría con los legisladores para diseñar un producto que cumpla con los requerimientos de protección de privacidad.
El buscador líder de internet causó estupor cuando anunció el servicio, ya que su capacidad de almacenamiento -de un gigabyte- deja en ridículo a la de sus rivales Yahoo o Hotmail.
"Gmail", no obstante, nació rodeado de controversia.
Poco después de anunciar su lanzamiento, una coalición de 28 organizaciones de todo el mundo pidió al buscador número uno que lo dejase en suspenso hasta que no clarificase o cambiase su política de privacidad.
Lo que más preocupa a estos grupos, que compararon a Google con el orwelliano "Gran Hermano", es que "Gmail" verá el texto de los mensajes en todos los correos electrónicos para insertar anuncios relacionados con su contenido.
Esto supondría que, por ejemplo, una misiva de un amigo a otro para organizar unas vacaciones podría incluir publicidad sobre una aerolínea, un hotel o una agencia de viajes.
El hecho de que ofrezca un gigabyte de almacenamiento, suficiente para que el usuario medio no tenga que borrar mensajes en mucho tiempo, es otro motivo de preocupación.
"Gmail" advierte, en sus condiciones de uso, de que los mensajes que se borren quedarán guardados en el sistema incluso una vez que se cancele la cuenta.
AGENCIA EFE El Senado de California aprobó hoy, jueves, una ley para restringir el nuevo servicio de correo electrónico de Google, llamado "Gmail", bajo el argumento de que podría poner en peligro la privacidad de los usuarios.
El Senado aprobó la primera ley de este tipo, por 24 votos a favor y 8 en contra, para limitar el alcance del servicio de correo electrónico gratuito que Google lanzó en pruebas a finales de abril.
La ley, que ahora tiene que ser aprobada por la Asamblea de California, impediría a "Gmail" almacenar un registro de todos los correos electrónicos, así como obtener información personal a partir de las misivas o facilitarla a terceras partes.
"Esta legislación garantiza que nuestras comunicaciones más privadas continuarán siéndolo", dijo la autora de la medida, la demócrata Liz Figueroa.
Google señaló en un comunicado que trabajaría con los legisladores para diseñar un producto que cumpla con los requerimientos de protección de privacidad.
El buscador líder de internet causó estupor cuando anunció el servicio, ya que su capacidad de almacenamiento -de un gigabyte- deja en ridículo a la de sus rivales Yahoo o Hotmail.
"Gmail", no obstante, nació rodeado de controversia.
Poco después de anunciar su lanzamiento, una coalición de 28 organizaciones de todo el mundo pidió al buscador número uno que lo dejase en suspenso hasta que no clarificase o cambiase su política de privacidad.
Lo que más preocupa a estos grupos, que compararon a Google con el orwelliano "Gran Hermano", es que "Gmail" verá el texto de los mensajes en todos los correos electrónicos para insertar anuncios relacionados con su contenido.
Esto supondría que, por ejemplo, una misiva de un amigo a otro para organizar unas vacaciones podría incluir publicidad sobre una aerolínea, un hotel o una agencia de viajes.
El hecho de que ofrezca un gigabyte de almacenamiento, suficiente para que el usuario medio no tenga que borrar mensajes en mucho tiempo, es otro motivo de preocupación.
"Gmail" advierte, en sus condiciones de uso, de que los mensajes que se borren quedarán guardados en el sistema incluso una vez que se cancele la cuenta.
QUIEREN restringir servicio Gmail
Terra México - Mexico
... Francisco.- El Senado de California aprobó hoy, jueves, una ley
para
restringir el nuevo servicio de correo electrónico de Google, llamado
"Gmail", bajo el ...
http://www.terra.com.mx/tecnologia/articulo/135294/
Google News (BETA) le ofrece esta alerta de noticias Cuando se
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Terra México - Mexico
... Francisco.- El Senado de California aprobó hoy, jueves, una ley
para
restringir el nuevo servicio de correo electrónico de Google, llamado
"Gmail", bajo el ...
http://www.terra.com.mx/tecnologia/articulo/135294/
Google News (BETA) le ofrece esta alerta de noticias Cuando se
produzca...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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