Google, owned by Alphabet, has refuted claims of shutting down Gmail, asserting, “Gmail is here to stay.”
The denial comes in response to a viral hoax tweet that falsely asserted the platform’s intention to halt its email feature.
The tech giant, operating under its parent company Alphabet, has not officially communicated any statements regarding the alleged “Gmail shutdown” through its website or press releases for its vast user base of 1.8 billion.
A circulating screenshot on social media falsely claimed that Google planned to phase out Gmail entirely by the end of this year, suggesting that the service would cease supporting email functions from August 1.
The misleading information gained over 1 million views across various accounts, indicating that Gmail would no longer facilitate sending, receiving, or storing of emails.
The fake news release, titled “Why Gmail Is Sunsetting,” purported a shift in Google’s focus towards developing communication technologies and platforms. The misleading notice claimed the closure of Gmail’s journey, stating, “After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close.” It specified August 1, 2024, as the date until which users could “access and download all your emails.”
This deceptive statement, bearing the company’s logo, emerged shortly after Google announced the suspension of its text-to-image AI tool Gemini. Screenshots circulating online earlier showed Gemini-generated images with misleading racial depictions in historical contexts.
Elon Musk criticized the feature as “woke” and “super racist,” prompting Google to acknowledge the need to “improve these kinds of depictions immediately.”
The origin of the false Gmail shutdown claim was traced back to a playful post by Chris Bakke, X Product Lead known for humorous content. Bakke jokingly claimed to be the senior vice president of product at Google, stating he was instructed by Google CEO Sundar Pichai to terminate the Gemini team but mistakenly fired the entire Gmail team.
Since its launch in April 2004, Gmail has been a prominent player in the email industry, competing with rivals like Yahoo and AOL.
