Update, November 17, 2024: We’ve got some fresh info to share! This story, which was first published on November 15, now includes new details about an update from Google regarding their communications features aimed at enhancing privacy for Gmail users.
If you’ve ever wondered about the ownership of a Gmail address and where emails sent to it actually end up, you’re not alone—this is a common concern among the millions using Google’s hugely popular email service.
With around 2.5 billion active accounts (as per Google), it’s no shock that this privacy issue pops up repeatedly in Gmail support discussions.
While it can be worrying to receive emails meant for someone else, it’s usually pretty straightforward to understand.
However, there’s been a recent leak that might initially seem like it complicates email addressing even more—but if the rumors hold true, this could actually turn out to be a positive change for privacy rather than a headache. Here’s what we’ve found out so far!
A recent leak regarding email addresses indicates that a more privacy-focused version of Gmail may soon be on the horizon.
A recent leak that came out on November 15 from Android Authority hints that Gmail might be getting a cool new feature: email aliases. This could really shake things up in the ongoing conversation about email privacy.
During a deep dive into some code, reporters found evidence suggesting that Google is working on an email forwarding system similar to Apple’s Hide My Email.
This feature would generate random email addresses for users, helping to keep their real ones under wraps when signing up for various services.
According to Android Authority, this new feature seems to be called Shielded Email. They stumbled upon it while digging through the APK code for a fresh Google Play Services update and noticed an option in the Android settings menu related to Google Autofill.
Right now, clicking on it doesn’t do anything, but it definitely indicates that Google is planning something exciting for those who care about privacy in Gmail.
The idea of having a disposable email address for Gmail users sounds like a fantastic addition—something many people would surely appreciate! It’s been quite popular among iPhone users; I know I rely on it all the time when I’m using Apple products.
I reached out to my contact at Google for more details, but they mentioned there’s no additional information available at this time.
I hate to sound repetitive, but just in case it’s still relevant in this age of streaming music: dots don’t matter in Gmail addresses. You might have seen a lot of posts on Gmail support forums from people worried that someone else is getting their emails or vice versa.
Well, there’s a simple explanation for that—it’s all about Google’s policy on dotted addresses. If someone tries to set up a Gmail account with a version of your username that includes dots, they’ll get an error message saying the username is already taken.
However, if someone uses one of those dotted versions when signing up for something online or subscribing to a newsletter, those emails will end up in your inbox.
For example, if your email is [email protected], you’ll receive messages sent to [email protected], [email protected], and even [email protected]—all of them will reach you! Mistakes can happen by accident or sometimes intentionally when someone thinks they’re being clever by trying to track emails linked to different addresses but ends up failing instead.
So if someone intended to send an email to [email protected] but accidentally typed [email protected] instead, guess what? That message lands in your inbox because you own [email protected]! Just keep in mind that owning [email protected] doesn’t mean you’ll also receive emails sent to [email protected] or [email protected]. So be extra careful when typing out your Gmail address!
Updates are not limited to Gmail; users of Google Messages will also receive clarification on the sending as feature.
Looks like there’s a nice new feature on the way for Google Messages users! A report from 9to5Google mentions that soon, when you send a message, you’ll get a notification showing the name and profile of the account you’re using.
Right now, if you’re in an RCS chat, you might have noticed a Sending as message popping up just above where you type. This change is part of the Google Messages beta version 20241112 00 RC00.
The sending as notice shows your Google Account picture and name but will vanish once your message goes through. This is especially handy in group chats where it can help people recognize who’s messaging them.
According to 9to5Google, this profile sharing feature only shares your name and picture with those you’re messaging. If by chance you end up sharing it with someone shady like a spammer or scammer, don’t worry—you can report that conversation as spam and block them right away to keep your info safe!
Gmail addressing isn’t as complicated as it seems; these updates serve to clarify that.
You’d think that sending messages through Gmail or Google Messages would be straightforward, right? But spammers, scammers, and hackers love to throw in distractions to catch people off guard.
That’s why it’s great news that Google is rolling out Shielded Email random email addresses for Gmail users—whenever that happens! While the changes in profile sharing and how you send emails might not seem like a huge leap for privacy in Google Messages, every little improvement adds up to better protection for all of us using Google services.