Google raised eyebrows by integrating Gmail
and its social network Google+, so that anyone can email you,even if you don't know them. Your Gmail address won't be made public, but strangers
can effectively email your name. To address spamming and privacy concerns,
Google said you'll only see the first email from a sender, and any follow-up messages will be blocked if you don't acknowledge their initial message.
Famous users will have such emails blocked by default.
How will it affect you?
If you use Google+, anyone who adds you to a
circle will be able to send a message
- but only one
- directly to your Gmail Inbox.
You may not use Google+ regularly, but if you're a fan of Google's services, you may have an account without even realising it.
You may not use Google+ regularly, but if you're a fan of Google's services, you may have an account without even realising it.
What do we think?
We can't see who benefits, from this, other
than potential spammers. If someone wants to get in touch, they can leave a
message via Google+. We'd advise opting out of this Gmail feature by changing the
'Email via Google+' setting to 'No-one'.