#9 UB Berkeley Students File Lawsuit Against Google Alleging Illegal Scanning of Email

In the article “UC Berkeley students file lawsuit against Google alleging illegal scanning of email,” Michelle Leung writes about the legal issue between Berkeley students and Google. Google was accused of scanning emails through Education Apps and other online tools. Four students and alumni were the ones to file the lawsuit against Google. Another similar occurrence happened where emails were scanned for advertising purposes. These individuals did not agree the right to Google to have their emails be intercepted. This action violates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. Google had disabled ads scanning in Apps for Education proving that there were previously accounts of scanning emails. This previous interception invades the privacy of Berkeley as a whole by having access to their news inventions, the drugs they are testing, or the people they are collaborating with. It is predicted that there will be more allegations made towards Google when more people become aware of such invasions.

This is yet again another article that makes me extremely uncomfortable about the access Google and other technologically advanced corporations have. Berkeley is an extremely high ranked institution. If Google could so easily scan their emails, I can only imagine how easy it is for them to access other peoples’ information. In all honesty, it is very scary that these allegations have been made to a company that I so regularly use. It is important for us to remember to read the consents and agreements to be more aware if there will be any later invasions. I personally do not have anything to hide in my emails. I am not chatting about my latest invention or my personal life, but there are people who are. Having their emails being scanned could result in another person coming up with that same “latest invention.” Even though I do not have any spectacular emails, it still makes me uncomfortable that there is an extent of free range that people you do not even know can have to your personal life. But reading articles such as this can only make me that much more cautious.