Google Develops Shielded Email Feature for Gmail

Google is reportedly developing a new privacy-focused feature for Gmail called 'Shielded Email', which will allow users to create temporary, disposable email aliases to protect their primary email addresses from spam and phishing attempts. This feature, similar to Apple's Hide My Email, is designed to enhance user privacy for Gmail's 2.5 billion active accounts. Leaked coding insights suggest that Shielded Email will integrate with Google Autofill and enable seamless alias creation within the Gmail interface. Users will have the option to disable forwarding from these aliases to their primary accounts, thereby improving email management. Additionally, concerns regarding email address ownership and the potential for account deletions due to inactivity have been highlighted as Google prepares to enforce a new policy on December 1, 2024, which may affect users with multiple accounts. The introduction of Shielded Email could significantly alleviate privacy concerns while providing a practical solution for managing online interactions.