Gmail is here to stay: Google denies shutdown rumours, confirms continued service

Google has clarified that it is not shutting down its popular email service, Gmail, amidst rumours on social media. A screenshot circulated online claimed Gmail would be “sunsetted” on August 1, 2024, ending its email services. However, Google has confirmed that Gmail will continue to operate as usual, debunking the rumours.

Speculative Social Media Storm

A purported screenshot of an email addressed to Gmail users from Google showed the company was “sunsetting Gmail” on August 1 this year. The email also claimed that after August, Gmail will no longer “support sending, receiving and storing emails”. The screenshot was shared thousands of times over social media platforms, with creators claiming the move came after Google faced backlash over its AI image tool, Gemini. The image tool was the focus of a controversy this week after it generated images of “racially-diverse” Nazi soldiers.

Clarification by Google and Tech Experts

Google finally stepped in and put an end to the speculations. “Gmail is here to stay,” read its post on social media. Tech experts also took to social media to curb the rumours, adding that the company was shutting down the HTML version of Gmail this year and not the entire email service. “Gmail discontinued the HTML-only version of its service, as of January of 2024. Standard @gmail works just fine. Stupid hoax,” said Marsha Collier, a tech educator.

Continued Service and Discontinued Version

Tech experts clarified that Gmail discontinued its HTML-only version in January 2024, which allows users to access their emails in low-network areas, but the standard @gmail service will continue to operate normally.

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