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Email

Introduction

Email, invented in the 1970s, remains one of the most critical digital communication tools today. While essential for both personal and professional communication, email systems were not originally designed with privacy in mind, making them vulnerable to various security threats including surveillance, data mining, and cyberattacks.

Providers

Gmail

Google’s email service dominates the market but actively scans email content for various purposes. While they claim to no longer use email content for ad personalization, they continue to analyze emails for features like Smart Compose and inbox organization, raising privacy concerns.

Yahoo Mail

Another major provider with a history of privacy issues. In 2016, Yahoo disclosed two major data breaches affecting over 1 billion accounts. They continue to scan emails for commercial purposes and have faced criticism for their data retention practices.

ProtonMail

A privacy-focused provider based in Switzerland offering end-to-end encryption by default. They operate under strict Swiss privacy laws and maintain a zero-access encryption system, meaning they cannot read users’ emails.

Tutanota

A German-based secure email provider offering end-to-end encryption for emails and contacts. They store all data on servers in Germany under strict EU privacy laws and offer strong security features like 2FA and encrypted search.

Recommendations

  1. Choose a privacy-focused email provider for sensitive communications
  2. Use end-to-end encryption when possible, especially for sensitive content
  3. Enable two-factor authentication on all email accounts
  4. Create separate email addresses for different purposes (personal, shopping, work)
  5. Regularly review and delete unnecessary emails and attachments
  6. Be cautious of phishing attempts and suspicious attachments

Actions

  • Enable two-factor authentication on your primary email account
  • Review and update your email privacy settings
  • Create a new account with a privacy-focused email provider
  • Install and configure email encryption tools (like PGP if needed)
  • Clean up old emails and unsubscribe from unnecessary mailing lists
  • Review and revoke access from third-party apps connected to your email
  • Set up email filters to reduce spam and unwanted tracking