Gmail's redesign may use 'Confidential Mode' for added security
It appears to be aimed at business users.
We've been covering the rumors and leaks surrounding the new Gmail redesign that's coming in the next few weeks, and now The Verge has a new tip. Google is introducing a Confidential Mode, which will allow Gmail senders to prevent recipients from forwarding, copying, downloading or printing certain emails.
Gmail is also adding more features that will appeal to business users. You can set a a passcode to open emails, generated by SMS, and set an expiration date on emails. These are, of course, in addition to the features that have already been leaked, such as snooze, smart replies and the different views of Gmail.
These are certainly interesting new security features. It's unclear how they will work as of right now. As The Verge notes, Gmail's restrictions on copying, downloading or printing will probably not prevent someone from taking a screenshot of an email (and certainly won't stop them from taking a photo), and it's unclear how any of this will apply to those who use IMAP and POP3 to access Gmail. It will be interesting to see what happens when the redesign finally rolls out in a few weeks.
