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Google is Testing Self-Destructing Emails in New Gmail (techcrunch.com)

Posted by msmash on from the up-next dept.

The upcoming update to Gmail might include a feature which would allow users to send emails that expire after a user-defined period of time. From a report: Working on an email service is hard as you have to be compatible with all sorts of email providers and email clients. But it doesn't seem to be stopping Google as the company is now evolving beyond the simple POP3/IMAP/SMTP protocols. Based on those screenshots, expiring emails work pretty much like expiring emails in ProtonMail. After some time, the email becomes unreadable. In the compose screen, there's a tiny lock icon called "confidential mode." It says that the recipient won't be able to forward email content, copy and paste, download or print the email.

17 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. O rly? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I receive data on my computer. It is then uncrypted and displayed on my screen. Ergo, stored in clear in RAM. What prevents me from finding a way to copy-paste this data?

    1. Re:O rly? by MightyYar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nothing - it's not for you or any other thinking person. It's meant for the same people who use the other insanely popular "self-destructing" message apps. They undoubtedly know it is stupid, but ultimately they need to compete with stupid.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
    2. Re:O rly? by taustin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If I can read it, I can copy it. The only way to keep me from copying an email is to keep me from reading it.

    3. Re:O rly? by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But there is no way to plug the analog hole. You can still take a screenshot... it might need to be from another device, but it is there.

      But, one thing works in its favor-- verification. If I have a screenshot of a document there is no way for me to prove its authenticity. Without some kind of verification means, much information loses its value.

    4. Re:O rly? by o_ferguson · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Conversely, once this "feature" is poplar, you can just produce a "screenshot" of whatever shit you want, and then claim it was sent as an "expiring email." No need to prove it was actually sent anymore. Anyone who uses "expiring email" willingly opens themselves up to whatever fakes other people desire to produce.

      --
      - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
  2. Screenshot... by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So easy to take a screenshot. Also, it's ultimately up to the browser whether to enable copy/paste or not.

    1. Re:Screenshot... by Joce640k · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Screenshots would never be admissible as evidence.

      --
      No sig today...
    2. Re:Screenshot... by MobyDisk · · Score: 5, Insightful

      FYI: Just because something can be doctored does not mean it is not permitted as evidence. The most common form of evidence is witness testimony, which is inaccurate, easily altered, and degrades over time.

  3. Extensions? by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not long before a bunch of extensions are released to automatically save a copy of all these "self destructive" emails...

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  4. DRM for emails? by TimMD909 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    DRM for emails? Do not want.

  5. Re:Confused by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's perfectly consistent.

    The email are 'self-destructing' only from the user's perspective. Google can still read them.

  6. the further proprietization of email. by nimbius · · Score: 4, Insightful

    self-destructing, secured, or even recall-able messages have been the hallmark of feature sets demanded by users without so much as a cursory understanding of email. Since most of human civilization uses GMail im sure the hubris of google rides high in testing this new "feature" but for power users or those outside the domain of the big G, this is feature is as useless as 'do not track.'

    mash away at self destruct all you like. Once the message leaves your Google mailserver and enters my Postfix, its mine.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
  7. Still Far Behind by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    So Gmail is starting to catch up with some of the features you can find in desktop clients. Exchange/Outlook has been able to do those things for years. You can also encrypt emails, sign them, add voting options, etc...

    As far as self-destructing emails, well it deleted itself before I was able to look at it so I guess I can't do whatever it says. And you've got no proof you asked me to do something. If I can't re-reference something to aid my failing memory then I'll safely assume it doesn't exist. Outlook has retention policies, but those are more for the receivers rather than the sender.

    I think they're just doing it because of all the services which now want access to your email account so they can scan everything for their service. If emails start disappearing (from your view, never from Google's scans), then Google's competition can't gain the same data set they have.

  8. Embrace, extend, and extinguish? by mi · · Score: 3, Insightful

    the company is now evolving beyond the simple POP3/IMAP/SMTP protocols

    I find this rather worrying for the future of e-mail...

    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
  9. Translation provided by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "the company is now evolving beyond the simple POP3/IMAP/SMTP protocols."

    Translation: "Those leave complete control of the recipients mailboxes in the hands of the recipient. We can't have that."

  10. Too many idiots in this thread by Chameleon+Man · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You all think you're so smart saying "Lol, I can copy/paste or screenshot it!". That's not the point, dummies! Say you want to send someone some info you don't want hanging around in their inbox. They get it, use the info to access...whatever...and then you get assured that they don't just hoard that email. If a user's email is compromised, it's just a house of cards as they can easily skim through and see all the services you're signed up for and reset passwords to those, including banking, credit cards, etc. It's advised to keep your inbox clean to prevent stuff like this from happening, at least now companies that send out the emails will have some control over this.

  11. Exactly by fyngyrz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If I can read it, I can copy it. The only way to keep me from copying an email is to keep me from reading it.

    Yep. No matter what they do, there's always screen-capture, and if not at some point in the future with the OS (Windows and OSX and Linux can all do this at present), then with a camera; your phone or a DSLR or an HD video camera, etc.

    If it's ever readable, it's readable forever if anyone who can read it wants it to be. End of story.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.