Gmail users: Your messages are under constant watch
By Grace Lee
If you are one of the 1.4 billion users of Gmail, the most-used email service, you should be aware that somebody may be snooping on your missives, according to reports.
Google says users who link their Gmail accounts to other applications often give permission for others to read their messages. It says it is not against the practice by clicking the “Accept” button, but people are not fully aware that this grants third-party developers the ability to "read, send, delete and manage your email.”
“They know that few would read through pages to know what they sign into. They take advantage of that attitude,” a Gmail user said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, companies admitted that their employees had read thousands of messages. One firm, eDataSource Inc, said engineers review them to improve the algorithms.
These companies say they do not additionally ask users for their permission because it is covered by the agreement form signed when people link their accounts.
Google doesn't seem to consider this an invasion of privacy, stating that users "explicitly granted permission to access email,” reports said.
Grace Lee (grace.lee2@emory.edu) is an intern.