Can Google Base Ads On E-mails Sent To Gmail Accounts? 171
concealment writes "A new lawsuit targets Google for reading e-mails to target ads, according to TechCrunch. But the issue isn't that Google is reading e-mails from registered users; rather, the company is using e-mails sent from other services to Google users to target ads as well. Google has gotten the side-eye a few times in the past for using e-mail content to serve context-based ads to its Gmail users. And for those Gmail users, Google's hide is covered: the terms of service explicitly state that users' e-mail content determines what ads they see."
Yes, of course (Score:2, Insightful)
Despite what disclaimer you may try to put on your email, when you send it, it belongs to the recipient. If they choose to let Google target ads based on it, that's their call.
Aren't the Damages a Little Insane? (Score:5, Insightful)
The lawsuit is on behalf of "all persons in the province of British Columbia who have sent e-mail to a Gmail account" and demands statutory damages for breach of copyright of $500 per e-mail that Google has used for ads. The lawsuit also seeks an injunction against Google's use of e-mails going forward. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
$500 per e-mail used for ads? Am I the only person that finds that to be just a tad bit insane?
Wayne Plimmer of British Columbia has filed a class-action lawsuit against Google for using his e-mails for ads. Plimmer is not a Gmail user, but his concern is that Google is reading and using his e-mails to serve ads to Gmail readers too. Being a non-Gmail user, he never agreed to the terms of service, so the legality of what Google is doing seems murky.
Okay. I can see that but can you explain how $500 per e-mail for everyone in BC is just about right for how much damages this has caused you?
business plan (Score:1, Insightful)
Do intelligent people trust a company whose business plan is to sale your data to any company willing to pay.
Google is covered here. (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm gonna sue any anti-spam filter (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm gonna sue any anti-spam filter - because they ALL read the emails I've sent to other people who use them, without my permission, and may be targeting ads based on that.
And every antivirus software that integrates into Outlook.
And everything that might conceivably view the content of an email en-route (e.g. intermediate mail servers).
If the recipient chooses to use such software - that's up to them. If you send an email to them and they have agreed for Google to receive it on their behalf with their permission to read it, then that's not Google's problem.
It's like suing a courier firm that someone sent to your door to pick up a parcel, because they looked inside the package and the recipient that nominated the courier firm allowed them to.
Re:Aren't the Damages a Little Insane? (Score:3, Insightful)
AFAIK in the American legal system ...
British Columbia is in Canada, not America.
Re:Evil (Score:3, Insightful)
If it has only just been revealed to you that the free version of Gmail uses email to select targeted ads for the users, you don't belong here.
Re:Yes, we know. (Score:4, Insightful)
As time goes on, that distinction will become decreasingly relevant.
Re:Are you new? (Score:5, Insightful)
As to the topic at hand, I find it interesting that the question isn't "Should google be targeting non-subscriber email ads", but whether or not they should be looking at ANY email content.
At what point does it become ok for any personal email regardless of 'sender' to be used for targeted ads based on content?
They explicitly say in their terms of service, since day 1, that they will serve ads based on your emails. If you don't like this, then you shouldn't have signed up for a gmail account.
Re:Aren't the Damages a Little Insane? (Score:2, Insightful)
Citation: Huffigton Post poll finds that 37% of Americans unable to locate America on map.
Re:Are you new? (Score:4, Insightful)
What he is saying is that when you give something to someone you no longer have control over it.
Re:Are you new? (Score:4, Insightful)
Same as if you hire someone to read all of your incoming mail - the sender of the mail need not be aware/agree to it being read. There is novel here.