Google Has Been Letting App Developers Read Users' Gmail, Unsurprisingly

The Gmail email application is seen on a portable device in this photo illustration on December 6, 2017. Google has reportedly allowed third-party developers of Android apps to review millions of Gmail messages, which seems about right. On Monday, a report by The Wall Street Journal drew attention to the fact that access settings for Gmail, Google's popular email platform, allow data companies and app developers that work Google to view millions of users' personal content and details. According to the WSJ, third parties have gotten human and AI access to whole Gmail messages, time stamps, and recipients' addresses, among other things. The report also suggested that Gmail's associated consent form isn't explicit enough about that fact that human eyes will be studying users' content, not just AI.