Google has affirmed that Gmail is not shutting down, countering widespread hoaxes circulating on social media.
A viral post, falsely asserting the closure of the email service in August and amassing over seven million views, was debunked by Google on the same platform.
Experts highlight the risks of misinformation, using this incident as a notable example.
Richard Bagnall from Carma underscores the necessity for improved tools to authenticate online facts.
While misinformation is a challenge on all social media platforms, X, formerly known as Twitter, is particularly criticized.
In 2023, the EU identified it as a major source of spreading falsehoods. Despite commitments to combat hate speech, X maintains a stance prioritizing free speech.
The BBC has sought comments from X regarding the hoax, which seems to be based on a legitimate email sent by Google in 2023.
The email notified users that Gmail would discontinue access to its most basic HTML view.
The original HTML view, utilized at Gmail’s launch in 2004, would be unfamiliar to current users.
The viral post reads, “we are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail,” the viral post reads, after years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close” suggesting the closure of Gmail after years of global connectivity and seamless communication.
Despite emphatically denying the false claims in the hoax message, Google has indeed terminated some services in recent years. In 2023, Google discontinued its Stadia gaming service and the YouTube Stories feature similar to Snapchat.
Additionally, it initiated the closure of old and inactive Gmail accounts.