Google educates Gmail users on spam

Educating computer users about security is something that every online service should consider doing, and I’m glad to see that Google has started explaining why its Gmail spam filter blocks specific emails.

For those who aren’t interested, the service is practically invisible, but those who want to learn must simply visit the Spam folder, click on each email and read the warning at the top of the content:

Every warning includes a link to a page on which the spammers’ tricks are explained in more detail and an easy-to-understand way.

Where applicable, Gmail also includes a link to a page where the user can report the email as phishing or some other type of scam.

“We hope that this is not only interesting, but also helps you learn about scams and other harmful messages that Gmail filters out,” says Ela Czajka, Software Engineer with Gmail. “Whether you prefer to leave your spam folder untouched or do some educational digging, the information will be there for you.”