An email message seemingly from Google stating that the Gmail service will be closing down on August 1 has gone viral.
The realistic-looking email message was posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) and had the headline “Google is sunsetting Gmail.” Addressed to Gmail users, the apparently real statement served to inform all 2 billion account holders that “Gmail is coming to a close” as of August 1 and from this date it will no longer support “sending, receiving or storing emails.”
“Up until August 1, 2024” the email read “you will be able to access and download all of your emails.”
Fake email saying Gmail to be closed down
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, lots of people took this very seriously indeed. Not least as there have been genuine stories over the last few months concerning Google deleting old Gmail accounts and new rules to reject certain messages sent by bulk senders to Gmail accounts.
Add to this the fact that Google does have some history when it comes to closing down services that many people find useful - remember Google Stadia, to name but one - the email sent shockwaves across X.
However, eagle-eyed readers would spot soon enough that the posting on X had been flagged as manipulated media. The manipulated media policy states that posts containing media that has been “significantly and deceptively altered, manipulated, or fabricated” are prohibited. It would appear that the statement being circulated had, indeed, been so altered. It was actually a modified copy of a Google statement regarding getting rid of the basic HTML view in Gmail messages.
Google tweeted a Gmail closure denial
Although some can think of such posts as just a bit of fun, such disinformation can cause unwanted anxiety to service users. Google itself responded by posting to X with a message that said: “Gmail is here to stay.”
I have reached out to Google for a startement and will update this article if one is forthcoming.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcmJlcy5jb20vc2l0ZXMvZGF2ZXl3aW5kZXIvMjAyNC8wMi8yMy9pcy1nb29nbGUtY2xvc2luZy1nbWFpbC1zZXJ2aWNlLWRvd24tZnJvbS1hdWd1c3QtMS_SAWtodHRwczovL3d3dy5mb3JiZXMuY29tL3NpdGVzL2RhdmV5d2luZGVyLzIwMjQvMDIvMjMvaXMtZ29vZ2xlLWNsb3NpbmctZ21haWwtc2VydmljZS1kb3duLWZyb20tYXVndXN0LTEvYW1wLw?oc=5
2024-02-23 22:39:59Z
CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcmJlcy5jb20vc2l0ZXMvZGF2ZXl3aW5kZXIvMjAyNC8wMi8yMy9pcy1nb29nbGUtY2xvc2luZy1nbWFpbC1zZXJ2aWNlLWRvd24tZnJvbS1hdWd1c3QtMS_SAWtodHRwczovL3d3dy5mb3JiZXMuY29tL3NpdGVzL2RhdmV5d2luZGVyLzIwMjQvMDIvMjMvaXMtZ29vZ2xlLWNsb3NpbmctZ21haWwtc2VydmljZS1kb3duLWZyb20tYXVndXN0LTEvYW1wLw
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar