So, now what?
With services like Lavabit getting squeezed out of business and an increase of distrust of Google, what is going to happen to email in the cloud?
I remember how awesome it was to no longer have my email downloaded to just one machine using Outlook. Having access to my email from anywhere was certainly amazing and Google did such a great job executing it. I was one of those early adopters, so I am one of those proud Gmail users who uses their full name. 😉
But now as Internet privacy is being brought into question more and more, I am beginning to reconsider my choice in email services. I had always thought of Gmail as a product, but it turns out, I am the product being sold as Google uses my email data.
Snowden Etc…
The recent Snowden and NSA drama has brought a lot of things to light.
It was bad enough to learn that Facebook doesn’t really delete photos as soon as I click delete or that Instagram has the right to sell my photos, but to learn that Google says that Gmail users have “no legitimate expectation of privacy” goes too far.
This is private email!
So now what?
Email Address
My first step is going to migrate my email address use. Instead of using my Gmail account as my primary address, I’m going to dig into my custom domain name. This way, I can point my email to whatever service I like—Outlook.com for example. Outlook.com says they won’t use or read my email—unlike Google—but at the same time I’m not that trusting of Microsoft. So even though I have not settled on a new service, at least I can make the switch and migrate however and whenever I like without confusing my contacts.
Private Email Services
I think privacy has become so trivial, it’s become hard to nail-down exactly what that means. Will my email be turned-over to government authorities on a whim? Or will they shut themselves down like Lavabit?
So far, this is what I’ve found—varying in privacy of course:
I’ve found the number of these services to be rather shallow—at least using Google Search (perhaps I should do some searches using DuckDuckGo or StartPage?).
What services have you heard of?
With Kim Dotcom’s NSA-proof email service in the works, perhaps that will be an option (assuming he’s not shut down like what happened with Megavideo).
If you or your church could switch to a more private email service, would you?
Mark Robinson says
This is an uncomfortable read!
I RELY on google so much it hurts!
Eric Dye says
I know that feel.
Dustin W. Stout says
Read that Time article again. They were called out for poor reporting and misquoting and have since changed their article (without citing that they’ve done so). Terrible journalism. The Guardian ran the same article as well– then changed it (again, without citing edits) after it came out they were wrong. The only ethical reporting and correcting of this “Gmail privacy” story was the Huffington post, who notes the changes made to the story.
Eric Dye says
Yes, Dustin, but you’re a Google Kool-Aid drinker. 😉
It is frustrating that Time and others got the quote wrong, but I’m not sure the corrected version is much better. From the Time magazine correction:
An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that Gmail users have “no legitimate expectation of privacy” when it should have stated that non-Gmail users who email Gmail users have “no legitimate expectation of privacy.”
Dustin W. Stout says
I listened to a 20 min. Conversation about this subject on the Verge podcast. Both sides of the issue were discussed and the conclusion was basically “no duh”.
Eric Dye says
What exactly is, “No duh?”
Dustin W. Stout says
The “reasonable expectation” of privacy. Gmail has to have some sort of automated scanning of content in order to filter things, prompt warnings (like the one you get about attaching a file when you’ve mentioned it in the email but forgot to actually attach it) and serve up relevant ads.
Not to mention their spam filters and such– if you think that your emails aren’t scanned when going through any email client– you’re naiive. But if you’re freaking out because someone at gmail might be reading your emails, you’re certifiably paranoid. lol
Eric Dye says
Well, someone from Google may not be reading your email, but considering recent news, someone probably is… 😉
Dustin W. Stout says
Ha! Very true! And they can go right ahead as far as I’m concerned.
Eric Dye says
NOW look who’s naive…
Dustin W. Stout says
Naiive, or paranoid enough to never share the type of info people could use over email?
Eric Dye says
I think your email inbox should be considered private space, much like inside your home.
Jeremy Smith says
The concern as society is now is no concern for me. A society in the future that may label Christian thoughts in private emails as hate crimes is a concern. I fear a nation that makes you talk a certain way all the time and I fear that these email-listening processes can be used for bad uses.
I’m not a terrorist but do not worry on that part. I do know that people are judging me for being openly Christian and my recession to private conversations is feeling more limited.
Daniel C Berman says
Have you checked out http://mykolab.com or http://www.swissmail.org Both of them are hosted in Europe though that still doesn’t stop encrypted email transmission between domains.
Eric Dye says
I have not, but I will now! Thanks for the link love!
Mark Robinson says
I have a friend. Lets call him….”Joe”
Joe used to work for a production company a few years ago. This company had a client that was a UK Government security agency which required all sorts of confidentiality beyond anything you can imagine.
Using Gmail or Google Apps would be put seriously under scrutiny these days. I wonder how they might communicate now?
Eric Dye says
Good question, but I think we can say, “Not Gmail.”
Jeremy Smith says
To assume any email is open is false. Especially if you email to the U.S. as all content is searched and if encrypted is instantly stored to be searched later.