By Joanna Szabo  |  September 20, 2018

Category: Consumer News

Gmail Privacy Concerns for iCloud Email UsersEven if you have a non-Gmail email account, such as iCloud email or others, you may be faced with Gmail privacy concerns.

Indeed, Google may have accessed your iCloud email or other non-Gmail account without permission if you’ve sent an email to someone who does use a Gmail account—which basically anyone who regularly uses email has done at this point.

So how did this happen? Google’s email scanning policies were conducted with the permission of its Gmail users, but non-Gmail users may have been affected by Gmail privacy concerns without their permission or knowledge if they have been in email communication with a Gmail user. Even if the Gmail user gave permission for the email scanning policy, non-Gmail users never gave such consent.

An investigation has been launched into these Gmail privacy concerns. You may be able to participate in this investigation if you meet these two essential criteria:

  • You’ve never had a Gmail account prior to October 2017
  • You sent an email to a Gmail user’s account sometime between Aug. 1, 2017 and Sept. 23, 2017

Lawsuit Filed Over Gmail Privacy Concerns

A California law firm filed a lawsuit against Google over Gmail privacy concerns, alleging that the company engaged in illegal email scanning for advertising purposes. The Gmail lawsuit was quickly brought to an end with a $2.2 million federal court settlement.

With the settlement agreement, the internet giant also agreed to change its email scanning policy so it no longer scans non-Gmail users’ accounts. More lawsuits are being filed over these Gmail privacy concerns, plaintiffs seeking $5,000 per violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act.

A lawsuit filed over Gmail privacy concerns alleged that plaintiffs’ emails were being “intercepted, scanned, analyzed, and cataloged” by Google. According to the lawsuit, the information collected by Google email scanning was used for advertising purposes—but users of non-Gmail systems like iCloud email never gave their consent for their emails to be intercepted by Google during this time period.

California privacy laws prohibit electronic communications from being intercepted without the consent of all parties involved. Statutory damages of $5,000 per violation may be incurred.

California is not the only one with strict privacy laws. Other states with similar privacy laws include Florida, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maryland. These states also require the consent of both parties involved in an electronic communication before interception.

Filing a Gmail Privacy Concerns Lawsuit

If you have an iCloud email or other non-Gmail account, and you sent an email to a Gmail account between Aug. 1, 2017 and Sept. 23, 2018, your privacy rights may have been violated, and you may qualify to join this lawsuit investigation. Violations of these privacy laws may lead to statutory damages of $5,000 per individual violation.

Join a Free Gmail Email Scanning Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

You may qualify for this Google privacy violation lawsuit investigation if:

  • You’ve never had a Gmail account (at least not before October 2017).
  • You sent an email to a Gmail account between Aug. 1, 2017, and Sept. 23, 2017.

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13 thoughts onGmail Privacy Concerns May Affect iCloud Email Users

  1. Erven Edward Ellison III says:

    Please add me

  2. Bayleigh says:

    I have had Gmail for years and it has always been popping up with app I don’t have on information

  3. Julie Thompson says:

    Please add me, my hubby and my mom

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