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Gmail Open To Changes, Perhaps Opt-in For Ad Placement
WebProNews
Staff Writer
2004-04-14
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Intense criticism from privacy groups concerning Google's email service Gmail have led to Google considering changes to some of Gmail's practices. The main issue is the scanning of all emails for keywords in order to place contextual ads.
California Senator Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont) and a number of privacy groups have asked Google to cease this practice, with Senator Figueroa going as far to draw up legislation to prevent scanning of emails for ad placement. These complaints have not fallen on deaf ears.
Although Google has not said it is stopping its ad practices, speaking to the Wall Street Journal Sergey Brin, President and co-founder of Google, said that the idea of making Gmail's ad service an opt-in decision, "is being batted about. We certainly wouldn't rule it out."
Brin also said that there would not be any "rash changes" to the service.
Google is said to be taking this "beta" stage of Gmail very seriously. Spokesman David Krane said while talking to News.com that it would listen to users responses and suggestions very closely during the 3 to 6 month testing phase.
Krane reinforced Brin's thoughts about changes, saying Google has not made any definitive decisions regarding Gmail.
"We are in the very earliest phases of testing, and we are actively soliciting and analyzing feedback from users and third parties, including privacy groups," Krane said. "We're definitely batting about a number of options for changes to the service, but we have not yet made any specific commitments or announcements about changes to come to Gmail."
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