Google's Gmail: The cost of free e-mail

Its All about Trust: All email is sent and received over servers that will expose or log that email for the server administrator. As you pointed out for years Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, and every other email provider have had equal access to your private email.

I think the big focus on Google is the fact that they openly state that they will use the the information collected from your email to send you relevant advertisements. Again, who doesn't??? I think I'd rather be hit with an upfront ad than have my ISP sell my email address and then be inundated with irrelevant and deceiving spam. Which one is a bigger waste of bandwidth and my time???

It all boils down to this... You have to decide who you are going to trust with your information. Google has done nothing in the past that would justify all of this hoopla. They are being honest and open about what they plan to do. Somebody has to pay for the storage space. I don't want to, so why not let the advertisers.

If you like what they offer, use it. If you don't, then don't worry about it. But don't think that your information is any more secure than gmail will be.

Finally, I just want to point out one more thing. If you haven't done anything illegal, no one is going to subpeona gmail for your information. If you are a criminal, then email is probably not your best choice.; Posted by: bstrain Posted on: 04/13/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Reply to Story Reply to Message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

But what if... Fred Fredrickson | 04/13/04

What was that search? agramont@... | 04/12/04

So make privacy lemonade already Nigel Johnstone | 04/12/04

do you really think V Sanders | 04/13/04

Its All about Trust bstrain | 04/13/04

What do you think?

Here to help you with your Document Management Needs
Check out Doc’s Blog on ZDNet
Help your company, help the earth I want to share with you the Environmental Defense Fund Paper Calculator, which allows you to gauge your organization's environmental impact.
Which is Greener: Paper or Digital? The Answer May Surprise You Anything we can do to reduce paper consumption is good. But what about the impact of digital waste?
Produced by
ZDNet and