Are your e-mail's worth scanning? Apparently...

[PlayfulAlex]

Google argues for right to continue scanning Gmail

http://money.ca.msn.com/investing/n...argues-for-right-to-continue-scanning-gmail-3

"Users, while they're using their Google Gmail account, have given Google the ability to use the emails they send and receive for providing that service," Somvichian said in court. "They have not assumed the risk that Google will disclose their information and they fully retain the right to delete their emails."

"In this Gmail case Google is trying to argue that its technology is exempt from privacy and wiretap laws. If they win, it will set a horrible precedent that they will try to apply to other Google technologies greatly threatening consumers' privacy rights," Consumer Watchdog Privacy Project director John Simpson said on Thursday.

 

[yazoo]

All email services do automatic scanning. They check for viruses - that's scanning. They check for spam - that includes analyzing the body of the text for meaning. So companies such as Microsoft who quite possibly are behind these suits (they started the campaign google scans your email, we don't) are mis-stating reality.

All that google is doing differently is serving up ads based upon words in your email. They also serve up ads based upon your search history - which is why I use startpage.com if I'm searching for something that I don't want included in ads.

It still is google search, but your searches are pooled and anonymized.