This post was made on 9/23/2018.
Google just told the US Senators that Gmail can have add-ons scan your Gmail inbox and use your data to hand to other companies. However, Google has stated that they have to have the users consent before they can initiate this practice.
Google’s Vice President, Susan Molinari, wrote to the US senators: “Developers may share data with third parties so long as they are transparent with the users about how they are using the data.”
These add-ons or apps that can be installed to your Gmail can be used to organize your email and even compare shopping prices and deals with each other. But these apps have the ability to go through personal emails and use them in their product refinement purposes, according to the Journal.
The idea of companies using your data for whatever they feel like it has always seemed wrong. Especially if they are using that data from your inbox that you can get important and personal information. Getting your data with consent is a step in the right direction, but I feel like getting information from your inbox, even with permission, is a bit wrong. There is so much personal and business information going into these inboxes that giving third parties permission to use them and do whatever they want with that data is still scary.
I feel like there are boundaries on the internet when it comes to using your data. If you are roaming the internet, going to various websites that don’t require too much personal information, then you can gather that data and use that for third parties. Hopefully you ask the user for permission to use their data, but we all know that’s not happening any time soon. Places where you gather personal info, (banks, taxes, medical records, etc), should be completely off-limits to third-party companies. That should include your email because so much sensitive information goes in there that third parties should have no business in my email.
Cyberleech 