Gmail app developers have been reading your emails. It’s a common practice that’s gone largely unnoticed

“... Third-party app developers can read the emails of millions of Gmail users, a report from The Wall Street Journal highlighted today. Gmail’s access settings allows data companies and app developers to see people’s emails and view private details, including recipient addresses, time stamps, and entire messages. And while those apps do need to receive user consent, the consent form isn’t exactly clear that it would allow humans — and not just computers — to read your emails.

Google told The Verge that it only gives data to vetted third-party developers and with users’ explicit consent. The vetting process involves checking whether a company’s identity is correctly represented by its app, its privacy policy states that it will monitor emails, and the data that the company is requesting makes sense for what the company does. An email app, for instance, should get access to Gmail. Some developers have applied for access to Gmail but have not been granted permission, although the company won’t say how many....”