A fake email claiming that Gmail was being shut down caused panic among many users who feared losing their data and accounts. Google has clarified that the email was a hoax and that Gmail is here to stay.
How the hoax email spread
The hoax email was posted on X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter, by a user who claimed to have received it from Google. The email looked like an official announcement from Google, informing the user that Gmail was being “sunsetted” and that their account would be deleted.
The email read: “We are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail. After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close.”
The email also included a link to a Google support page that explained how to download and export data from Gmail using Google Takeout. The link was genuine, but the email was not.
The post quickly went viral, as many users believed it was real and started to panic about losing their Gmail accounts and data. Some users even shared screenshots of their Google Takeout requests, showing how much data they had stored on Gmail.
How Google responded
Google was quick to notice the hoax email and issued a statement on X, reassuring users that Gmail was not being deleted. The company said: “Gmail is here to stay. We have no plans to sunset Gmail. The email you may have seen is a hoax and not from us.”
Google also explained that the hoax email was based on a real email that Google had sent to some users who were using a basic HTML view of Gmail. The email informed them that the basic HTML view was being discontinued and that they needed to switch to the standard view of Gmail.
Google said: “The email you may have seen is a modified version of a real email we sent to a small number of users who are using the basic HTML view of Gmail. We are not discontinuing the standard view of Gmail, which most of our users are on.”
Google also advised users to check the sender’s address and the URL of any links before clicking on them, and to report any suspicious emails to Google.
Why users were worried
The hoax email spoke to a real concern among many Google users, who have seen the company shut down many of its products and services over the years. Google has a reputation for killing off popular and useful features, such as Google Reader, Google Plus, Google Hangouts, and Google Inbox.
According to a website called Killed by Google, which tracks the products and services that Google has discontinued, Google has killed 293 apps, services, and hardware devices so far. Some of these products had millions of loyal users who were unhappy with Google’s decision to end them.
Gmail, however, is one of Google’s most successful and widely used products, with an estimated 2 billion active users. It was launched in 2004, on April Fool’s Day, and many people thought it was a prank at first. But it soon became the most popular email service in the world, offering features such as large storage space, spam filtering, and integration with other Google products.
Gmail is also one of the core services of Google’s ecosystem, which includes Google Photos, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Meet Calendar. These services are also linked to the user’s Google account, which stores their personal information, preferences, and settings. Losing access to Gmail would mean losing access to all these services and data as well.
How to protect your Gmail account and data
While Gmail is not being deleted, it is still important to protect your Gmail account and data from hackers, identity thieves, and accidental loss. Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Use a strong and unique password for your Gmail account, and change it regularly.
- Enable two-factor authentication for your Gmail account, which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code or a device confirmation when you sign in.
- Review your account activity and security settings regularly, and remove any devices, apps, or websites that you don’t recognize or trust.
- Backup your Gmail data using Google Takeout, which allows you to download a copy of all the data you have stored on Google products. You can also export your photos to another photo storage service, or save them to your computer or hard drive.
- Report any suspicious emails or messages to Google, and don’t click on any links or attachments that you don’t trust.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your Gmail account and data are safe and secure, and that you can continue to enjoy the benefits of Gmail for years to come.
