Google wants you to snitch on non gmail users

Last Updated on Saturday, 30 July 2011 23:33 Saturday, 30 July 2011 23:15

If Microsoft asked you for the email addresses of people not using Hotmail, you'd immediately think "f*ck you and the horse you rode in on." Google, in a nicely gift wrapped marketing ploy, is doing just that. A slick website with an innocent sounding "email interventions" storyline asks users to enter the email address of contacts not using gmail. Google will then dispatch an email inviting them to sign up. If they don't oblige...well...who knows. They might not get a Google xmas card.

The Google Blog describes the rationale behind the campaign as, "My friends and I sat Andy down and talked him through how to import his contacts. We answered his questions, guilt-tripped him a little, and a few painless minutes later we were done. Andy had Gmail.

We all have a story like this. On the Gmail team, we affectionately refer to them as 'email interventions.' We hear about them all the time: the cousin who finally switched from an embarrassing address like hottie6elliot1977 to a more professional This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "

You have to wonder about Andy. Maybe the guy signed up to gmail just to get some peace from friends engaged in verbal spamming? 'A few painless minutes later' sounds like something the Mafia would say after calling into the shop for 'protection money.' Maybe hottie6elliot1977 never wanted boring elliot.d.smith@gmail.

Watch the Google Email Intervention video

Next, Google will want you to sit some strangers down and explain to them the merits of Gmail. They won't be allowed leave until they come round to the Google way of thinking - Google Everywhere.

If you want to snitch on any of your friends, feel free to head on over to emailintervention.com and dog them in.