Gmail Confidential Mode Brings Self-Destructing Emails And Identity Verification For Recipients

Today, we're learning that Google is looking to add a new feature to Gmail: self-destructing emails. That's right, Google is taking a page out of the "Mission Impossible" playbook with this feature, which should be helpful when sending sensitive or confidential information over email that could potentially end up in the wrong hands.

As presented by TechCrunch, a small lock icon appears in the compose window for an email which represents "Confidential Mode". The setting prevents the email (on the recipient side) from being forwarded, downloaded, copied or printed in any way. In addition, the sender is given the option to set an expiration time/date for the email ranging from hours to years.

Further helping to secure email communications, senders have the option to require the recipient to verify their identity with a passcode before opening an email sent in Confidential Mode. When someone receives an email sent with Confidential Mode, it will contain an embedded link that will allow them to view the secure content.

It is not known when Confidential Mode will be ready for primetime, but the screenshots posted in this article match the Material Design language that we showed yesterday in the leaked images of the Gmail redesign. So, it's quite possible that Google will launch the feature when the Gmail redesign goes live.

(Gmail screenshots courtesy TechCrunch)