Gmail to halt campaign email spam filters following GOP complaints
Gmail’s political campaign filtering is set to stop following GOP vitriol
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Googlewill end itsGmailspam filtering pilot program in the US amid continuing threats from Republicans.
According toThe Washington Post,a recent court filing saw Google lawyers detail the plan to end the pilot program at the end of January 2023, instead of continuing with its testing and development.
Google’s filing also asked the US District Court for the Eastern District of California to dismiss the case, implying that “Gmail’s spam filtering policies apply equally to emails from all senders, whether they are politically affiliated or not.”
TechRadar Pro needs you!We want to build a better website for our readers, and we need your help! You can do your bit by filling outour surveyand telling us your opinions and views about the tech industry in 2023. It will only take a few minutes and all your answers will be anonymous and confidential. Thank you again for helping us make TechRadar Pro even better.
D. Athow, Managing Editor
Gmail political campaign filtering
It has been several months since Republicans first launched complaints that Google was sending its emails directly to users’ spam folders, with one paper suggesting as many as 67.6% of emails were being marked as spam compared with just 8.2% of Democrats’.
Google rejected the accusations, however the company designed a new pilot program in response that allowed parties to sign up as recognized, legitimate senders. This was met with a mixed bag of reactions, including concerns that Gmail users’ inboxes would be inundated with unwanted content.
These are the best email providers around>Gmail wants to stop political campaign emails going to spam>Gmail reportedly cleared of political bias following GOP filtering accusations
Google spokesperson, Jose Castañeda, said he had hoped that the scheme would “provide more certainty for senders during this election period”.
Of the more than 100 committees that signed up for the pilot program, Google made it clear to the California court that the RNC had not.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
“Many other politically-affiliated entities chose to participate in that program, which was approved by the FEC, " the filing says. “The RNC chose not to do so. Instead, it now seeks to blame Google based on a theory of political bias that is both illogical and contrary to the facts alleged in its own Complaint.”
While the pilot program’s days are limited, Gmail maintains that effective spam filtering remains a key part of what makes the email service so popular and successful. José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, toldTechRadar Pro:
“As the FEC’s recent bipartisan decision confirmed, we don’t filter emails for political purposes and like the FEC complaint, this suit is without merit. We will keep investing in spam-filtering technologies that protect people from unwanted messages while still allowing senders to reach the inboxes of users who want to see those messages.”
With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!
HPE reveals critical security bug affecting networking access points
A critical Palo Alto Networks bug is being hit by cyberattacks, so patch now
Scammers are using fake copyright infringement claims to hack businesses
