Beauregard T. Shagnasty wrote:
> Dustin wrote:
>
>> "Beauregard T. Shagnasty" wrote:
>>> Dustin wrote:
>>>> ...
>>>> Unfortunately, Google has been building a contact list for
>>>> the webmail by harvesting email address(s) being passed in
>>>> transit from the smtp/pop3 transactions. In other words,
>>>> they're harvesting and storing it in your webmail account
>>>> for your convenience.
>>>
>>> That must only be happening to you. :-/ I just checked my
>>> two POP3 gmail accounts, and there are no harvested/stored
>>> email addresses at the webmail interface.
>>
>> Hi BTS.
>>
>> I knew I wasn't imagining things, so I googled.
>>
>> http://support.google.com/mail/bin/a...en&answer=8933
>> <snip>
>
> What you describe appears to be something that may happen if
> you are using the gmail webmail interface. In your post, you
> stated they were harvesting emails "in transit from smtp/pop3
> transactions." There's a big difference.
>
> I read my gmail in Thunderbird, POPping and SMTPing through
> gmail as you alluded, and there is no harvesting.

Under the general settings tab, there's an option to "Create contacts for
auto-complete." The choices are "When I send a message to a new person, add
them to Other Contacts so that I can auto-complete to them next time" or
"I'll add contacts myself."

I'm pretty sure that when I send to an new email address using Outlook
rather than the web interface, Gmail saves the address for me in my contacts
just as it does when I use the web interface. I'm equally sure that if I
were to change my selection, it would stop doing so, no matter the interface
I use.

But once someone has access to one's webmail account, it really doesn't
matter. One way or another, once the account is hacked, all the mail one has
sent and received is available for the use of the intruder.

Note to Dustin: I got one from your email address too.