It’s 2018 and we’re all much more aware of the need to keep on top of exactly which internet companies are using our data – and what they’re doing with it. We were all shocked (though maybe we should have seen it coming) when the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal broke.
And now Gmail users have found themselves in a similar situation with the news that Google has confirmed it allows some external software developers to read private emails.
Director of security at Google Cloud Suzanne Frey said in a blog post that external apps can integrate with Gmail and then read and analyse messages in your inbox.
“We continuously work to vet developers and their apps that integrate with Gmail before we open them for general access, and we give both enterprise admins and individual consumers transparency and control over how their data is used,” she said.
This response comes after a Wall Street Journal report alleged that Google allowed apps to read emails.
“Some people might consider that to be a dirty secret,” tech insider Thede Loder told the paper. “It’s kind of reality.”
The Wall Street Journal does not allege misuse of data by Google or the apps mentioned.
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You can find out which external apps have access to your Gmail account by visiting the Security Check-up page.
It’s then very simple to revoke the permissions of any app accounts you like.
It’s a wild, wild world out there on the internet. Stay safe netizens!
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