Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy • Hacker News Board

Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

#21

Post by faddotio » Wed, Aug 14, 2013, 5:54 PM UTC

DZPM wrote: post #10

No, Google did not say that there is no privacy in Gmail: http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/08/14/no-google-did-not-sa... > Earlier on Tuesday, Google was quoted by Consumer Watchdog, RT.com (Russia Today) and Gizmodo as having argued in a legal motion that customers have “no legitimate expectation of privacy”, but the quote has been taken out of context.

Do some digging into Consumer Watchdog, they are basically a FUD group that basically comes up for air to launch Google smears then recede beneath the waters. The identity and funding of the organization are totally obfuscated.

Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

#22

Post by tzs » Wed, Aug 14, 2013, 6:08 PM UTC

faddotio wrote: post #21

DZPM wrote: post #10

No, Google did not say that there is no privacy in Gmail: http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/08/14/no-google-did-not-sa... > Earlier on Tuesday, Google was quoted by Consumer Watchdog, RT.com (Russia Today) and Gizmodo as having argued in a legal motion that customers have “no legitimate expectation of privacy”, but the quote has been taken out of context.

Do some digging into Consumer Watchdog, they are basically a FUD group that basically comes up for air to launch Google smears then recede beneath the waters. The identity and funding of the organization are totally obfuscated.

Google is just one part of what they are active in [1].

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Watchdog

Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

#23

Post by da_n » Wed, Aug 14, 2013, 6:18 PM UTC

betterunix wrote: post #19

da_n wrote: post #17

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. You're using a web based email service and you're sending postcards when you should be sending letters. Both this and Lavabit feel like distractions.

1. You are assuming that everyone understands what "web based" means. 2. You are assuming that everyone understands that email is like a postcard. I have even met technically competent people who were surprised to discover how easy it is to forge email headers. When even people with years of accumulated knowledge about computers carry bad assumptions around, what can you expect out of people with little-to-no underst…

I am not assuming and I agree about the magical box, but I have little sympathy for user ignorance and tire of this as an excuse. In the UK we are facing massive internet censorship because the masses of 'computer is magic' users are outraged about Facebook and Twitter posts, and accept filters to be put in place etc My mum thinks it's a great idea. It is complete bullshit caused by utter ignorance and failure to comprehend what is at stake etc. Sorry to rant but I get upset that this is somehow an excuse.

Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

#24

Post by t0mas88 » Wed, Aug 14, 2013, 7:19 PM UTC

Pfew, The Guardian seems to be trying to win the Biggest Bullshit Of The Year award for 2013? Google mentions that automatically scanning Gmail and showing relevant ads has been standard from the start and is part of their privacy policy. The Guardian makes this into a vague NSA reference to link-bait... Terrible journalism, if you could even call it that.