This new Gmail feature will allow you to protect your identity and fight against spam

Google is reportedly developing a new feature called Shielded Email, which will allow users to create email aliases when signing up for online services, helping to combat spam more effectively. The feature was discovered in an analysis of the latest version of Google Play Services for Android conducted by Android Authority.

The new tool would be capable of generating unique, one-time-use email addresses that would forward messages to the user’s main email. This would prevent sharing the real address when filling out forms or registering on websites. A novel idea at Google, but not new in the industry.

Apple, for example, introduced the Hide My Email feature in 2021 for iCloud+ subscribers, allowing the creation of temporary emails in applications like Safari, Mail, and Apple Pay. Other services, such as Bitwarden and DuckDuckGo, have also adopted similar approaches.

In parallel, Google also recently launched the Android System Key Verifier app. This tool adds an additional layer of security by verifying that the encryption keys used in conversations are correct, something similar to the contact verification system in Apple’s iMessage.