E-Business Law: Google Gmail - Legal Issues, Privacy and Ethical Concerns
Riad Lemhachheche
Jamie LeGore
Gurjot Dhaliwal
|
What is Google Gmail?
On April 1, 2004, Google announced it will launch a new service of web-based free e-mail accounts. First available in beta testing, this service will provide users with one gigabyte of free storage along with Google search capabilities on the account e-mail storage. The Gmail service would bring Google into the market for free email services that is currently dominated by companies such as Yahoo and Microsoft MSN. Those rivals have been challenging Google’s core Web search business.
This service will be provided free of charge within three to six months as Google plans to recover costs through the integration of advertising. Contrary to using general advertising, Google will implement its Adwords program to provide ads relevant to the content of the e-mail currently viewed. The integration of targeted advertisements is done by scanning through the content of the user’s e-mail and matching words with keywords paid by advertisers for placement.
For example, if you receive an e-mail containing the keyword “Beach Boys” and “tickets”, then the e-mail will be displayed along with ads for ticket purchasing services .
This service is currently offered by invitation only, but Google estimates that more than one million people have registered to be informed when the service becomes publicly available. Currently, Gmail accounts are in such high demand that they are being auctioned on websites like EBay for more than one hundred dollars. Despite high reviews from major publications for the quality of the interface and service provided, the success of Gmail is threatened by legal actions launched in several parts of the world. Indeed, privacy concerns raised by Californian Democratic Senator Liz Figueroa or by privacy groups like Privacy International from the UK may prevent the service to operate as planned by Google.
By looking at U.S. and International legal issues, as well as ethical and privacy concerns, this paper will help to identify potential actions that Google can take to make the service free from most legal challenges and help stop the public outcry over Gmail.
http://news.com.com/2100-1032-5190219.html. 5/6/2004
http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/screen2.html 6/1/2004
