A viral post on X, formerly known as Twitter, claimed that Google is sunsetting Gmail, its popular email service, on August 1, 2024.
The post included a screenshot of an email allegedly from Google, announcing the end of Gmail’s journey. The post sparked panic and confusion among Gmail’s millions of users, who feared losing access to their emails and contacts.
The post that started the rumour was shared by a user named @SHLOMS on X on February 22, 2024. The post had the caption titled “Google is sunsetting Gmail”
The body of the caption reads; “Dear Gmail User, we are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail. After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close.
As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service. This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails.
Why Gmail is Sunsetting
The decision to sunset Gmail has been made with careful consideration of the evolving digital landscape and our commitment to providing high- quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our users.
In the spirit of progress and adaptation, we are focusing our resources on developing new technologies and platforms that will continue to revolutionise the way we communicate and interact online.
“What This Means for You
“•Email Access: Up until August 1, 2024, you will be able to access and download all your emails. After this date, Gmail accounts will become inaccessible. The post quickly went viral, garnering over 4 million views, 300,000 likes, and 200,000 retweets in less than 24 hours. Many users expressed shock, disbelief, and anger at the alleged announcement, while others joked about the possible reasons behind Gmail’s demise. Some speculated that Google had achieved Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and no longer needed email communication, while others suggested that Gmail was hacked or compromised by a rival company”.
To verify, The Explainer Fact Checker searched Google official platforms. On its official Gmail X account, Google debunked the claim and reassured its users in a tweet February 26, 2024.
The post reads: “We’ve seen some misinformation circulating about Gmail shutting down. This is not true. Gmail is here to stay. The email screenshot that’s been shared is a hoax. Please disregard it and do not share it further.
The tweet also included a link to a blog post by Google, where the company explained that the only change affecting Gmail was the transition from the ‘basic HTML’ view to a newer, more visually appealing interface introduced in January 2024.
It said; “The only change that’s happening to Gmail is the retirement of the ‘basic HTML’ view, which was an older version of Gmail that lacked full feature functionality. We announced this change in December 2023 and gave users a six-month notice to switch to the new Gmail interface, which offers a better user experience, more security, and more features.
This change will take effect on August 1, 2024, but it will not affect your ability to send, receive, or store emails on Gmail. You can learn more about the new Gmail interface and how to switch to it here.
“Gmail is a key part of Google’s offerings and we are constantly working to improve it and make it more useful for our users. We appreciate your feedback and support and we hope you enjoy the new Gmail interface.”
Verdict: False
The claim that Gmail is shutting down on August 1, 2024 is false. It is based on a hoax email screenshot that was shared on X by a user with no credible source or evidence. Google has confirmed that Gmail is not shutting down and the email screenshot is fake.
