Gmail proposes radical change to eliminate spam emails

Google is reportedly developing a new feature for Gmail called “Shielded Email,” which aims to help users deal with spam and protect their privacy online.

According to a recent run-through of the Google Play Services APK by Android Authority, the latest release reveals multiple references to “Shielded Email.” This feature will allow users to create unique, random email aliases that forward messages to their primary Gmail account. The idea is to keep the actual email address private, reducing the risk of spam and unwanted contact.

Newsweek reached out to Google via email for comment.

Shielded Email appears to have similar functionality to Apple‘s “Hide My Email,” which was announced in June 2021 as part of its announcement of iCloud+ during the WWDC 2021 event. The feature was officially launched to users in September 2021 with the release of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.

Users can generate these random email addresses directly within the Mail app, Safari, or through iCloud settings. “Hide My Email” is also built into “Sign in with Apple,” allowing users to create accounts with third-party services using these unique email addresses.

Shielded Email would reduce spam for the 2 billion Gmail users worldwide and help track which services might be selling user data to third parties.

The feature appears to be integrated with Android’s autofill and Google Password Manager, making it convenient for users when filling out forms or signing up for new services on their mobile devices. However, as noted by Forbes, the initial rollout might be limited to Android users, with no immediate news on desktop Gmail or Chrome integration.

Spam emails remain a significant issue for email users globally. Google’s Gmail has been effective at filtering out spam, blocking more than 99.9 percent of it, according to a 2023 blog post by Neil Kumaran, group product manager for Gmail Security & Trust.

However, the introduction of Shielded Email could take spam prevention to the next level by preventing spam emails from reaching users in the first place.

The same blog post said that Google’s last large security update for Gmail was the introduction of new requirements for bulk email senders that started in February 2024. These include authenticating their emails, enabling easy unsubscription, and ensuring they stay under a certain spam threshold.

“These changes are like a tune-up for the email world,” Kumaran wrote. “By fixing a few things under the hood, we can keep email running smoothly.”

While the introduction of Shielded Email to the world’s most popular email platform, which marked its 20th anniversary in April, is a promising development, there are questions about its implementation. It’s unclear whether Google will require a paid subscription for this feature, similar to how Apple’s Hide My Email requires an iCloud+ subscription.

As 9to5Google pointed out, “It remains to be seen whether Google will charge for Shielded Email. Besides encouraging people to sign up for Google One, making it paid could be a way to make sure functionality isn’t abused.”