Google cleans up Gmail spam unsubscribing

"Sure, I'd like updates. Gee, I'd love to know about the next 2-4-1 on ballpoint pens." We've all been there, but it's not long before you're drowning in unwanted promos.

Google's looking to fend off spam in Gmail with a new unsubscribe feature that'll make it plenty easy to bin overeager brands cluttering up your inbox.

Many brands offer unsubscription but the links can be (intentionally) buried deep within an e-mail's footer. Google's new unsubscribe button tracks down the link and shunts it up top for ease of access.

"Combing through an entire message looking for a way to unsubscribe is no fun", says Google.

"Now when a sender includes an 'Unsubscribe' link in a Promotions, Social, or Forums message, Gmail will surface it to the top, right next to the sender address."

Google reckons the move is good for everyone. Recipients won't have to deal with unwanted clutter and senders won't be at risk of being marked as spam.

Unfortunately, if the sender opts not to include an unsubscribe link in the e-mail in the first place then a button won't appear up top, rendering the big G's update as useful as nipples on a breastplate.

The worry is that this move could actually incentivise more promo senders to ditch the button altogether to avoid being so easily binned.

It's not the first step Google's taken to giving spam a kick, with the firm unveiling its Tabs layout last year that automatically sorts promo e-mails into their own dedicated holding pen.

Via TechRadar