I've used Gmail for many years, and have been pleased with its trouble-free service and storage capacity. But one concern that has always lurked in the back of my mind is their access to my emails. I don't send anything by Gmail that I would be concerned about someone at Google reading, but I have read that Google keeps a copy of all receipts. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but don't like this idea. Here is a quote from an article I just read: "Google also scans all the receipts you receive in Gmail and stores the data for years, even if your purchases are not from Google."

I just read -- in the above-referenced article -- about the advantages of using another free email service: ProtonMail. If you have an interest in reading the article, you may read it here. Here's another quote from the article that might get your attention: "Much of Gmail’s popularity stems from the fact that it costs no money to use. It is, however, a prime example of the old adage that “if you’re not paying for a service, then you are the service.” Google’s entire business model is to invade its users’ privacy in order to profit from targeted ads." If this is true, how does ProtonMail provide a "free" service, the question comes to mind? They do offer upgraded plans for a fee, so maybe this is where they make enough money to continue providing a 'free' email service.

So, I'm going to mull this around in my mind a bit before making a move from Gmail. It is a good article, though. Just passing this thought along for your consideration and cogitation.

Jim Hamm