Update, Nov. 17, 2024: This story, originally published Nov. 15 now includes details of another new Google communications addressing update to add to the privacy feature coming to Gmail users.
The question of who a given Gmail address really belongs to, and where the email sent to it goes, is something of a perennial problem for users of Google’s insanely popular email platform. With around 2.5 billion active accounts, according to Google itself, it should come as no surprise that this privacy issue crops up time and time again in official Gmail support forums. While the issue surrounding receiving emails intended for another Gmail user is concerning, it’s also relatively easy to explain. A new leak, however, appears like it could complicate matters of email addressing further at first glance—but it would be a privacy blessing, not nightmare, if true. Here’s what we know.
New Email Addressing Leak Suggests An Even More Privacy-Centric Gmail Service Could Be Heading Your Way
A newly revealed leak published Nov. 15 by Android Authority, suggests that a new email alias function could be heading to Gmail, which could add a new privacy-centric twist to the whole email addressing debate. As part of a coding teardown, investigative reporters discovered some code that suggests Google is working on an email forwarding system using aliases, similar to Apple’s Hide My Email that provides an automated random email address creator to help keep your personal email address private when subscribing to services.
The Google system appears to be called Shielded Email, according to Android Authority, which found an Android settings menu within Google Autofill after closely examining the application package “APK” code for a new Google Play Services release. Heading there does nothing as of yet, but it does show that Google has something up its sleeve that could appeal to privacy-focused Gmail users. The idea of a single-use, disposable, email address for Gmail users is certainly one that will, I am sure, be welcomed. It’s been something of a game-changer in the iPhone world, after all. I use it all the time when I am in Apple-mode.
I reached out to Google my Gmail contact there for a statement and a spokesperson told me there was no further information currently.
No, You Do Not Have The Same Email Address As Another Gmail User
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if that idiom still means anything in the streaming music era, dots do not matter in Gmail email addresses. All the pleas for help that you read in the assorted Gmail support forums claiming that someone else has the same email address as them and they are getting their messages, or worrying that the same is happening but in reverse, can be explained by Google’s Gmail dotted address policy. “If anyone tries to create a Gmail account with a dotted version of your username,” Google said, “they’ll get an error saying the username is already taken.” If, however, someone uses a dotted version of your Gmail address when completing an online form, newsletter subscription etc, then you will get the emails sent as a result.
If your email is johnsmith@gmail.com then email sent to john.smith@gmail.com, jo.hn.sm.ith@gmail.com and j.o.h.n.s.m.i.t.h@gmail.com will all come to you. Things go wrong either by accident, a simple typo, or intent when someone is trying to be clever in keeping tabs on incoming email linked to addresses provided, but failing. “If someone meant to email john.43.smith@gmail.com but typed john.smith@gmail.com, the message went to you because you own johnsmith@gmail.com,” Google said. In other words, if you own smith@gmail.com that doesn’t mean that email sent to john.smith@gmail.com or jenny.smith@gmail.com will also come to you. So be careful when entering your Gmail address folks.
Addressing Updates Aren’t Only Coming To Gmail, Google Messages Users To Get ‘Sending As’ Clarification
It appears that another welcome update is heading towards users of Google Messages. According to a 9to5Google report Google Messages will soon start notifying users of the name and profile they are sending their message as. “As of today, we’re seeing a “Sending as” notice directly above the text field in RCS conversations,” the report revealed, referring to Google Messages beta 20241112_00_RC00. The sending as notice appears alongside the Google Account profile picture and account name, but disappears after the message is sent. This aid to recognition, especially in group conversations, is particularly welcome. Profile sharing, 9to5Google said, “allows you to share your Google Account profile (name and picture only) with the people you send messages to.” If the profile is erroneously shared with a spammer or scammer, the conversation can be reported as spam and the user blocked, immediately removing the profile information from the conversation.
Gmail Addressing Really Isn’t That Confusing, These Updates Help To Reinforce That
Although the addressing of your communications, be that by way of Gmail or Google Messages, should not be complicated or confusing, spammers, scammers and hackers rely on introducing just enough in the way of distraction to enable them to take advantage. Which is why the news that Google is introducing the Shielded Email random email addresses for Gmail users, whenever that actually lands, is such a welcome update. lthough the sending as and profile sharing isn’t as immediately obvious as a big move towards better privacy in Google Messages, these small steps all combine and add up to improved privacy for all Google users.
