Google has announced a major update to Gmail to prevent spammers from sending unsolicited messages to users, according to an official blog post.
The update will target senders who exceed 5,000 daily emails to Gmail users. The messages will be required to carry a one-click unsubscribe option to allow users more control over their email settings.
Senders will also have to verify their email addresses and confirm the ownership of their account to prevent spoofing (sending emails with a fake IP address).
Many bulk senders do not adequately secure and configure their systems, which allows bad actors to get away with fraudulent emails, according to Google. The new requirements will help Gmail users keep their accounts “safer and more spam-free” and prevent malware and phishing attacks.
The update will go live by February 2024. It will be applied to Yahoo’s email provider as well.
“In the interconnected world of email, that takes all of us working together,” says Marcel Becker, a senior director at Yahoo. “Yahoo looks forward to working with Google and the rest of the email community to make these common sense, high-impact changes the new industry standard.”
Google says the authentication of emails will close loopholes that are exploited by malicious actors against people who use email. A user should be able to confidently rely on an email’s source, it adds.
The update will oblige senders of large volumes of email to process “unsubscription” request from the recipient within two days. Google says unsubscribing from commercial emails should take “one click”.
To add another layer of protection, Google says, it will enforce a “spam rate threshold” for bulk senders to prevent bombardment of unwanted messages. This will help Gmail users reduce spam in their inbox.
Google has also published email sender guidelines to help marketers improve their systems. The company says many of the senders already meet the guidelines and that these practices should be considered “basic email hygiene”.
