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Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

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Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#2

Post by jordanlewis »

Right in their privacy policy (http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacy/privacy-policy.html):

We may collect the following types of information:
User communications – When you send email or other communications to Google, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services. When you send and receive SMS messages to or from one of our services that provides SMS functionality, we may collect and maintain information associated with those messages, such as the phone number, the wireless carrier associated with the phone number, the content of the message, and the date and time of the transaction. We may use your email address to communicate with you about our services.
In addition to the above, we may use the information we collect to:

Provide, maintain, protect, and improve our services (including advertising services) and develop new services; and Protect the rights or property of Google or our users.

If we use this information in a manner different than the purpose for which it was collected, then we will ask for your consent prior to such use.

Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#4

Post by heyrhett »

He answers his own question in the article. "https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answ... says that the answer to “Is Google reading my mail?” is “No” but doesn’t elaborate ..."

So, he's looking for a more elaborate answer? This is PhilG, so I should cut him some slack, but it seems pretty clear to me.

Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#5

Post by Bud »

jordanlewis wrote: post #2

Right in their privacy policy ( http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacy/privacy-policy.html ): We may collect the following types of information: User communications – When you send email or other communications to Google, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services. When you send and receive SMS messages to or from one of our services that pr…

Uh, that privacy policy (or at least the snippets you posted) provide NO explicit assurances that Google is not reading your stuff. At all.

It tells you what they WILL do. And it says if they decide to "use" (vague) "this information" (vague) in other ways, they'll ask for consent. Does simply reading it count as "using" it? Google doesn't say.

I wouldn't trust these assurances at all.

Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#6

Post by gojomo »

jordanlewis wrote: post #2

Right in their privacy policy ( http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacy/privacy-policy.html ): We may collect the following types of information: User communications – When you send email or other communications to Google, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services. When you send and receive SMS messages to or from one of our services that pr…

The section you've excerpted could be interpreted as saying that Google does reserve the right to have both its software and personnel read your email in order to "[p]rovide, maintain, protect, and improve our services (including advertising services) and develop new services; and Protect the rights or property of Google or our users."

Which is, more or less, for any reason whatsoever except those already blatantly illegal (harassment, blackmail, etc.).

Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#7

Post by Bud »

heyrhett wrote: post #4

He answers his own question in the article. " https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answ... says that the answer to “Is Google reading my mail?” is “No” but doesn’t elaborate ..." So, he's looking for a more elaborate answer? This is PhilG, so I should cut him some slack, but it seems pretty clear to me.

Misleading.

What that document actually says is this:

No, but automatic scanning and filtering technology is at the heart of Gmail. Gmail scans and processes all messages using fully automated systems in order to do useful and innovative stuff like filter spam, detect viruses and malware, show relevant ads, and develop and deliver new features across your Google experience. Priority Inbox, spell checking, forwarding, auto-responding, automatic saving and sorting, and converting URLs to clickable links are just a few of the many features that use this kind of automatic processing.

In other words, Google IS most certainly "reading" your email, at the very least with computers, for various purposes.

Re: Where does Google actually say that they won’t read Gmail or Google Docs?

#9

Post by jaysonelliot »

byoung2 wrote: post #3

This should be covered by the statement "don't be evil"

If the FBI comes knocking on Google's door and says they have a terrorist under surveillance, and they need to read his email in order to save a busload of schoolchildren from a bomb, should Google let them do it?

Is it evil to read a bad person's email, or is it evil not to read it?

That's why a clearly stated policy that says exactly when Google will or will not let a human look at your documents and email is important. "Don't be evil" is cute, but it's not a policy statement.

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