Did google and yahoo illegally intercept emails from non gmail recipients?

There have been several instances of email interception and scanning by Google and Yahoo, but the legality of these practices is complex and has been the subject of ongoing debates and lawsuits.

Google's Gmail scanning:

In 2013, it was revealed that Google was scanning the contents of Gmail messages to deliver targeted ads to users. This practice was disclosed in Google's terms of service and was not considered illegal by most legal experts. However, some critics argued that the scanning was a violation of users' privacy and that Google was not transparent enough about its practices.

In 2017, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Google alleging that the company had illegally intercepted and scanned emails from non-Gmail users. The lawsuit claimed that Google had violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Wiretap Act by intercepting and scanning emails without the consent of the email senders or recipients. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, with Google agreeing to pay $8.5 million to settle the claims.

Yahoo's email scanning:

In 2016, it was revealed that Yahoo had been scanning the contents of emails for the US government as part of a national security program. Yahoo had been required to comply with a court order to scan the emails of users who were suspected of being involved in terrorism or other national security threats.

In 2017, a lawsuit was filed against Yahoo alleging that the company had illegally intercepted and scanned emails from non-Yahoo users. The lawsuit claimed that Yahoo had violated the ECPA and the Wiretap Act by intercepting and scanning emails without the consent of the email senders or recipients. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, with Yahoo agreeing to pay $80 million to settle the claims.

Legal implications:

The legality of email interception and scanning by Google and Yahoo is governed by various laws, including the ECPA, the Wiretap Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. These laws prohibit the interception and disclosure of electronic communications without the consent of the parties involved.

In general, email providers are allowed to intercept and scan emails for the purpose of delivering the messages to the intended recipients. However, if an email provider intercepts and scans emails for other purposes, such as to deliver targeted ads or to comply with government requests, it may be considered illegal.

Conclusion:

While Google and Yahoo have been accused of illegally intercepting and scanning emails from non-Gmail or non-Yahoo users, the legality of these practices is complex and has been the subject of ongoing debates and lawsuits. In general, email providers are allowed to intercept and scan emails for the purpose of delivering the messages to the intended recipients, but if they intercept and scan emails for other purposes, it may be considered illegal.