Google has decided to jump into the free Internet mail market with a new service called Gmail, which is currently in a testing stage.
A Google press release stated that Gmail will allot one gigabyte of storage space per user — 100 times more than most other free Internet mail providers.
According to the Associated Press, the top Internet mail providers are Yahoo, with 52.6 million users, Hotmail, with 45.4 million users and AOL, with 40.2 million users.
Google claims that Gmail can automatically organize related individual e-mails into “conversations” by listing sent and replied messages together.
Another Gmail feature is its ability to quickly recall any message an account owner has ever sent or received.
Although Gmail may seem like a great service provider, many privacy groups are criticizing its invasiveness.
Gmail will scan the content of every e-mail that passes through its system for key words, which will provide information to aid in advertising.
According to the AP, if two people were communicating about an upcoming trip, Gmail might include links to hotels or airlines.
Google is defending Gmail by emphasizing that computers are scanning the e-mails, not people.
Pam Dixon, the executive director of the World Privacy Forum, is not satisfied.
“Machines are more efficient than humans and far more able to be privacy invasive than humans because they can read so much more,” Dixon said.
Another concern about Gmail is that e-mails are permanently kept in its system, even after a user closes their account.
In response to the concern over Gmail, 28 privacy and civil liberties organizations recently endorsed an open letter to Google, urging them to suspend Gmail.
Matt Monceaux, a history sophomore, is uncomfortable with the Gmail privacy issues.
“I don’t like the idea of my e-mails being read and then being sent unwanted e-mails based on the content of my conversations,” Monceaux said. “I think it’s a bad idea and I hope it doesn’t catch on.”
In response to the negative feedback surrounding Gmail, Google President Sergey Brin said he is considering making some changes, but nothing “rash.”
Google currently is accepting feedback on their privacy policy, which is available on the Internet.