Google has confirmed that private emails sent and received by Gmail users can sometimes be read by third-party app developers, not just machines. People who have connected third-party apps to their accounts may have unwittingly given human staff permission to read their messages. One company told the Wall Street Journal that the practice was "common" and a "dirty secret".
Google indicated that the practice was not against its policies. One security expert said it was "surprising" that Google allowed it.
