Google's Gmail: A Rough Guide to Protecting Your Privacy

Google has introduced a new beta email service called "Gmail" that raises a number of privacy concerns.

While the media has largely focused on the fact that Gmail will scan the contents of your email messages in order to target ads, the more serious problem from a privacy perspective is Google's ability to link your Gmail account information with your Google web searches. By linking your complete Google search history - tagged with your name and personal details - to your email records, Google can create a highly nuanced picture of you as a reader and as a person. Such pictures present irresistible targets for government investigators, civil lawsuit plaintiffs, and even identity thieves. A single attack or disclosure could release deeply sensitive details about your life to the world without your knowledge or consent.
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