Prevent Google from Letting Third-Party Apps Read your Emails

Tips and Tricks 2018-07-10 01:55:05 - by Rachel Lee

You may have already heard in the news that Facebook gave app developers unprecedented access to some of Your most sensitive data and information online. Your personal information may be in danger elsewhere outside simply Facebook. But that’s not all – depending on how you utilize your Google account, you could be giving permission for third-party apps to read your e-mails.

This has something to do with what was supposedly a simple and convenient feature on your Google account. Third-party apps may be given access to read your emails depending on how you use your Google account. This is frequently because of a straightforward and practical feature that enables users to sign in to apps with their Google accounts. Regrettably, some developers request sweeping rights that could give them unrestricted access to private data. Other developers would even create apps that integrate with your Google account to enhance their service functionality. In this post, we will investigate how to prohibit third-party apps from accessing your Gmail and secure your Google account.

Simple Steps you can Do to Prevent Google’s Third-Party Apps from Reading your Emails

Online data security is more important than ever in the current digital era. With the popularity of these apps, it's imperative to be aware of how much access you're granting them to your data. This is especially true when it comes to your Google account because it may allow access to your Gmail and other confidential information. When these apps integrate with your Google account, they would ask for a variety of permission access. In theory, each app should only ask for as many account permissions and utilize the data which comes along with this to function properly. But what really happens here is that the user is requested to share a wide variety of account permissions; some of which, can even be used by developers to access our email, even if that clearly wasn’t what you signed up for right off the bat.

There are certain app integrations such as integrated email app platforms which naturally would need to access your emails to serve their functions. However, according to a Wall Street Journal report, there are some companies that make their engineers process users’ emails and other relevant information to benefit their machine-learning marketing efforts.

In order to not fall victim to this type of marketing ploy, it is a good habit to always read through the term and conditions provided by an app that requests access to your account (if any). If there’s something that you’re not sure of, better opt out of the deal and spare your account from prying eyes and unprecedented access to your private and sensitive information online.

We'll look at a few simple tips you may take to prevent third-party apps from accessing your Google account's emails and other sensitive data. By limiting the program rights you give it and periodically verifying them, you may protect your privacy and stop online eavesdropping.

Tip 1: Check app permissions

You can check which apps have access to your Google account by visiting the app permissions panel.

Tip 2: Review app permissions

Go through the list of apps and ask yourself if the level of trust you have in the app and its developers matches the level of permissions you've given it. Does the app's purpose match the permissions it has been granted? If you have any doubts, it's better to revoke access.

Tip 3: Remove app access

This will prevent the app from accessing your Google account and any associated information.

These easy actions can help you take back control of your account and stop unapproved third-party apps from accessing your private data. It's important to stay vigilant and regularly review your app permissions to ensure your privacy and security online.

How to Secure your Google Account

And while there are several ways for app developers to gain access to your account information; fortunately, there is a way for you to take charge of your account by doing the following steps:

Step 1: Since you can access the app permissions panel through a link, the instructions are generally the same for both desktop and mobile platforms. You can check which apps have access to your Google account and review what they can do by clicking here.

Step 2: Go through the apps that have some sort of access to your Google account. Does the trust that you place in the app and its developers match the level of permissions you’ve given the app? Do the permissions which the app received match the functions which the app carries out? If your answer is no, then you can modify the permission settings by clicking on the questionable app and then selecting the “Remove Access” option.

With the direction Google is taking – integrating a variety of services (i.e. Youtube, Gmail) under one account, users should be extra careful as to how they manage their accounts because one wrong move could compromise their data online.

Conclusion

Finally, maintaining your online security and privacy in this digital age should be a major priority. One recent example of how your personal information may be in danger is the disclosure that Facebook has been granting access to sensitive data to app developers. Yet, third-party applications that connect to your Google account could possibly access your emails and other private information. This vulnerability is not limited to Facebook. You may restrict the program rights granted to these programs and safeguard your privacy by taking easy actions like regularly eliminating app access and verifying and reviewing app permissions. To safeguard your online security, being cautious and frequently examining your app permissions is critical. By following all these recommendations, you can take back control of your account and prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive data.