Gmail to translate foreign spam into English, automatically

happygeek 0 260 Views

I am not a great fan of online translation services, or at least not the free variety which almost invariably end up making some huge gaffs. However, Google obviously likes the idea as it has been providing just such a tool for a while now in the shape of Google Translate. Today it has announced that the technology will be integrated into Gmail as an experimental feature.

This will, the nice lady in the Google Press Office tells me, enable you "to conduct entire conversations in multiple languages, with each of you reading the messages in whatever language you choose."

Think of it as a step towards totally automatic email translation between 41 global languages, because that is what Google is doing. Or, put another way, translating between 41 languages works out to some 1640 different language pairs on offer. That is, so I am reliably informed, full coverage of the languages used by no less than 98 percent of Internet users.

Trouble is, I am left thinking that all this means for me is that Gmail will now very kindly translate all my spam into English. After all, it is only spammers who ever send me foreign language email, and much of it ends up arriving at my Gmail address.

Dani AI

Generated

Echoing 's wry take about Gmail turning foreign mail into English: translation makes messages readable, but it is not a security filter. 's chuckle is on point, and is right that readable text helps decide whether a message is worth keeping. Below are practical, long‑term notes and safe workflows to close gaps the short replies leave open.

Machine translation gives a quick sense of content but can introduce errors or make a scam look convincing. Translation also exposes the raw text to whatever translation service is used, so sensitive material should not be translated without considering privacy. Importantly, a translated view changes only how the message is presented — it does not neutralize unsafe links, attachments, or credential requests.

Good practices include:

  • Treat translated messages the same as any suspicious email: inspect sender details, avoid clicking links, and never open unexpected attachments.
  • Hover to preview actual URLs before following links; compare the visible name to the real domain.
  • Use translation on demand rather than blanket "always translate" rules for unknown senders. If a message looks legitimate after inspection, add the sender to contacts to reduce repeat uncertainty.
  • Report obvious spam or phishing through the mail client so filters improve; for borderline cases, keep the message but do not act on requests for money or credentials.
  • If foreign‑language mail is frequent, consider a separate address or alias for public sign‑ups so primary mailboxes stay cleaner.

In short: translation is a useful triage tool, not a replacement for basic email hygiene. The feature makes it easier to read foreign mail, but caution and the usual anti‑phishing checks remain essential.

Member Avatar for scru
scru 909 Posting Virtuoso

Hah, this one made me chuckle.

Member Avatar for carlyse_09
carlyse_09 -4 Light Poster

new idea for google translate?Well,english as one of the international language will help us to understand if a mail is just a spam or not.

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