Gmail, Big Brother?
I’ve been wondering what angle Google planned to take with its new Gmail service, currently in beta form. After some reading it all makes perfect sense. Google will offer 1GB of email space in return for the ability to scan your messages and place ads based on the content. After the excitement of 1GB wears, I’m starting to wonder if the trade off is morally right?
Example: I receive an email regarding a relatives grave health problems; to the right ads are displayed regarding funeral homes. However, it could be helpful if your corresponding with a friend regarding your cars transmission and ads relating to car repair are provided.
From the personal privacy perspective it’s a bit intrusive but if machines are performing the intrusion I feel somewhat at ease. Google is an amazing phenomenon and has an exciting future ahead. I’m anxious to see how Gmail pans out.
Comments
Anton
ah. but let the machine’s algorithms watch for particular keyword triggers (and unattended), the next thing you know somebody will be putting you in custody for 16 months because you’ve been highlighted as a possible source of terrorist information, because somebody didn’t bother to go through the context of how those keywords were used. (yes, that’s horrible grammar, you can forgive a little creative editing, right?) just a little “devil’s advodate” for you.
[m]
And you would actually read all those ads? I, for one, absolutely-positively almost never read ads. They are meant to make you act, and that might be in ways you’d regret afterwards.In all essence, ads are evil beasts that needs to be smited down. Luring,misguiding law-cheating monsters.Even if they give away free ipods. (And probably a year’s supply of cotton, wich you do have to buy) If they do make gMail (I’m sorry, I meant Gmail. Stupid Apple and it’s marketeers) public, I would be one of the first to sign up. The downside is easily avoided: don’t read everything you see.There are always downsides to every service or product. This one is easily dodged.
adam
how about, google stores your emails in order to perfect text mining algorithms that are email specific. Google is getting a free corpus, with millions of eager raters for their algorithm. Google should pay us for the use of their service.
Nathan Borror http://www.playgroundblues.com/
I’m anxious to give it a whirl. Any idea when beta testing will cease?
Matt
Having a Gmail account myself, I can tell you that the targeted ads are not really that big of a deal. They’re small (8 or 9pt font size) and unobtrusive, and they’re generated by a machine (i.e., humans aren’t scanning my messages). The features and usefulness of Gmail easily compensate for the 2-4 text ads I glance over when reading a message.
Nathan Borror http://www.playgroundblues.com/
Xian: It makes sense to alter your algorithm so it ignores words or treats special words with care. This I like.Graphiz Design: 1GB is great! I think it would take me years to even use half of it. I’d like to know what their maximum transfer will be. I’m starting to warm up to algorithm scanning of emails, however, I’m a very big advocate of personal privacy and Anton makes a very valid point.
Graphiz Design
I have doubts with what you say. Google do provide ads but none of them are manually scan. And what if you talk about yahoo or hotmail, don’t we see any ads on them… I consider relative ads on webpage better than annoying popups and flashing banners. And whats wrong with 1GB !!!! Space is getting really cheaper this days that providing 1GB would be a normal thing.. Lets look at spymac.com, they provide 1GB… Also yahoo is planning to provide same space for premium members.. Bottom line I don’t see any harm in a machine algorithm scanning emails.
Xian
Gmail doesn’t show any ads at all when you view emails with death/funeral keywords. So they are making an effort to be appropriate.
Nathan Borror http://www.playgroundblues.com/
I noticed this on another site and now from Scott’s comment. I guess some people think my name is Paul? Actually Paul is my middle name, my first name is Nathan. Just thought I’d clarify before things got out of hand :)(thanks for the compliment Sam)
Sam
I’m always interested to hear peoples opinions about ad-supported services.What inet users need to realize is that all of these ad-supported sites and services are free because of the ads. If you want ads to be banished from these services (yahoo, hotmail, gmail) be prepared to pay for the service. If you aren’t interested in paying for the service, look elsewhere. Perhaps starting your own comparable service would help you understand why these ads / fees are needed.As far as gmail privacy-intrusion, it would be intrusion if the scanning wasn’t clearly outlined before you even sign up for the service; but it is. You know the scanning will happen. If you don’t care for the scanning, don’t sign up.I personally feel that a gig of free space is worth watching (read: ignoring) said ads.by the way, great site, Paul.
Nathan Borror http://www.playgroundblues.com/
Looks like California is a little perturbed by Gmail.
Crazy Jay
I got an invite to the beta today and I signed up. The ad’s are non intrusive and if you use a idfferent browser IE opera, netscape than one you normally use the cookies can’t be linking your email address to your search history. And if you are one of those people to paranoid to email someone with a gmail address because Big Brother Google may have your address on file in their database somewhere get a life.