Video: Like it or not, Gmail new design will be mandatory in a few months.
Google has responded to Monday's Wall Street Journal report[1] detailing how Google gives hundreds of developers privileged access to Gmail inboxes once users have signed up to a third-party app.
The special access gives approved developers, such as marketing and data-mining firms, the ability to read and analyze Gmail messages.
While much of the analysis is by machine, according to the report, one developer said it was "common practice" for companies to let employees read Gmail user email. And instead of gaining explicit consent from the user, permission is only obtained via general user agreements.
Former employees of data-mining companies told the paper that it was common for them to use free apps and services to convince people to give access to their inboxes and that the apps don't clearly explain what data they collect, nor what they do with it.
While third-party access has been known about for years, the practice has come under the spotlight due to Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal[2], which put millions of users' data in the hands of the controversial political consultancy.
In a blogpost, Google says it allows third-party apps to integrate with Gmail to give users more choice about how to access and use email.
However, the company stresses it is not compensated by developers for granting access to its application programming interface and no longer scans Gmail to serve targeted ads itself. Google ended that practice last year[3], bringing consumer Gmail in line with G Suite.
"Gmail's primary business model is to sell our paid email service to organizations as a part