Let’s be honest now, who remembers Google+? No seriously! Of course we all have Google+ if we are Gmail account holders. But please, how many people in 4 actually really use G+?
But we all now know whoever is a Gmail user, probably has a Google+ account too. Until now that shouldn’t have mattered much. But now Google is introducing a new setting, anyone – and I mean ANYONE- on Google+ will be able to send emails to your Gmail account without you ever having given them your email address, according to a new post on the Official Gmail Blog.
What this means is that you will be getting messages from strangers just like you get normal messages from people in your address book. However, one respite we have is that this squatter will not know your email address until you respond to him. “Your email address isn’t visible to a Google+ connection unless you send that person an email, and likewise, that person’s email address isn’t visible to you unless they send you an email,” Google explains.
However, since in Google we trust, it lives up to our expectations and is offering an easy way to opt out of update – You’ll have the option to limit who who can email you through your Google+ profile to “extended circles,” “circles” or “no one”.
Honestly though, don’t worry. Google says it will email you with a direct link to that setting once the changes go into effect.
Its not as scary as knowing Google has been selling your email addresses to advertisers this whole time 🙂