Netiquette Security, A Core Principal - New Google Feature - Via Netiquette IQ

As I have mentioned many times in my blogs and book (see below), security is an integral part of Netiquette. Among other things, your recipients rely upon you to provide safe email and this is a critical factor to consider in your basic email processes. Google now make this task a bit easier as the article below elaborates upon.

Google Enhances Encryption Technology for Email

WASHINGTON March 20, 2014 (AP)

By EILEEN SULLIVAN Associated Press

Google has enhanced the encryption technology for its flagship email service in ways that will make it harder for the National Security Agency to intercept messages moving among the company's worldwide data centers.

Among the most extraordinary disclosures in documents leaked by former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden were reports that the NSA had secretly tapped into the main communications links that connect Yahoo and Google data centers around the world.

Google, whose executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, said in November that he was outraged over the practice, didn't mention the NSA in Thursday's announcement, except in a veiled reference to "last summer's revelations." The change affects more than 425 million users of Google's Gmail service.

Yahoo has promised similar steps for its email service by this spring.

Google and other technology companies have been outspoken about the U.S. government's spy programs. The companies are worried more people will reduce their online activities if they believe almost everything they do is being monitored by the government. A decline in Internet use could hurt the companies financially by giving them fewer opportunities to show online ads and sell other services.

"Your email is important to you, and making sure it stays safe and always available is important to us," Nicolas Lidzborski, Gmail's security engineering lead, wrote in a blog post.

Lidzborski said that all Gmail messages a consumer sends or receives are now encrypted.

"This ensures that your messages are safe not only when they move between you and Gmail's servers, but also as they move between Google's data centers — something we made a top priority after last summer's revelations," Lidzborski wrote.

The NSA has said it only focuses on targets with foreign intelligence value.

A secret Jan. 9, 2013, accounting indicated that NSA sends millions of records every day from Yahoo and Google internal networks to data warehouses at the NSA's Fort Meade, Md., headquarters, according to documents released by Snowden and obtained by The Washington Post last year.

The NSA's principal tool to exploit the Google and Yahoo data links is a project called MUSCULAR, operated jointly with the agency's British counterpart, GCHQ. NSA and GCHQ are copying entire data flows across fiber-optic cables that carry information between the data centers of the Silicon Valley giants, the Post reported.
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In addition to this blog, I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, " Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:

 www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki

 If you would like to listen to experts in all aspects of Netiquette and communication, try my radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County, NJ.

Netiquette Quote of The Day - Benjamin Franklin - Via Netiquette IQ

 My last blog was the Netiquette IQ test. For those who took it, I hope you did well. Today's quote comes via Benjamin Franklin and is about testing. Netiquette is more like practice, the more you do it, the better you will become. After a short while, it will become easier and more natural. Also, you should find increased and more positive results from your recipients! This should assist in your  achieving better results, no matter what your occupation might be.
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“I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong”
-Benjamin Franklin 
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In addition to this blog, I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, " Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:

 www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki

 If you would like to listen to experts in all aspects of Netiquette and communication, try my radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County, NJ.

Netiquette Test - What is your Netiquette IQ? -Take Our Test!

What is your Netiquette IQ? There is no particular correlation between a person's intellectual IQ and your Netiquette IQ. Moreover, your Netiquette IQ can dramatically improve in short order, particularly when you read my book! This test below will give you an idea of how much you really know about email Netiquette. Give it a try. Don't peek at the answers!

Watch for future tests and software on our website at www.netiquetteiq.com.

1.		What should your “from” field show? A)   Your service provider; B)  Your full name; C)  Your desired reply address; D)  Your nickname, E)  All of the above
2.		What should the “to” field show? A)   Desired public recipient(s); B)  Anyone who wishes to receive the message; C)  Both A and B; D)  Neither A or B, E)  None of the above
3.		Who should be in a “cc” field? A)   Those not expected to reply; B)  Those who need to know the content; C)  Those in any preceding message; D)  Both A & B, E)  None of the above
4.		Subject fields should: A)   Never be blank; B)  Be changed for different topics; C)  Left unchanged when an initial direct reply is given; D)  Not exceed 10-12 words, E)  All of the above
5.		Subject fields: A)   Do not require capitals; B)  Should end with a punctuation mark; C)  Should not include links; D)  Can have all capitals if urgent, E)  Use normal punctuation except the end of the entry
6.		A recipient in a cc field should: A)   Never reply; B)  Reply only to appropriate people; C)  Include others when replying; D) Reply only to the sender, E)  A & C
7.		When a recipient is in a “Bcc” field, one: A)   Can forward a message; B)  Should never forward the message; C)  Should only forward to a new recipient; D)  Ought reply if deemed important, E)  Both B & D
8.		A subject field: A)   Can comprise the entire message; B)  Can be partially changed by a replier; C)  Can be fully changed by a replier, D)  Both A & B, E)  Both A & C
9.		Salutations: A)   Should always be used; B)  Are only needed in business email; C)  Should never use nicknames; D)  Should include official titles, E)  Both A & C
10.		Salutations should: A)   Include all To and cc recipients; B)  Only To recipients; C)  Usually have more than one word; D)  Be followed by a colon or comma, E)  B, C and D
11.		Salutations should include: A)   Someone’s first and last names; B)  No abbreviations;  C)  A capital for the first word; D)  All of the above, E)  None of the above
12.		When multiple people are addressed in a salutation: A)   Always spell out everyone’s name and title; B)  “To All” can always be used; C)  “Sirs” can be used if all are male; D)  All of the above, E)  None of the above
13.		If an email is to a stranger, A)   The reason for the email should be stated first; B)  An introduction should be done first; C) An introduction and purpose should be done in either order; D)  A purpose is not necessary, E)  None of the above
14.		Font sizes in email should: A)   Be 8-10 point  B)  Be determined by the font style; C)  Use regular text but all italics is acceptable; D)  Be 10-12 point, E)  Both C & D
15.		Which of the following are the most common type of email: A)   Spam; B)  Personal; C)  Business; D)  Social, E)  Commentary
16.		Formal email should not have: A)   Concise descriptions; B)  The pronoun “I”; C)  Acronyms; D)  Any threads, E)  All threads
17.		Which of these are acceptable as a full email A)   Thank you; B)  You bet; C)  Sorry; D)  A & C, E)  A & B
18.		Which of the following are correct for normal email: A)   12:00 noon; B)  12 pm; C)  12:00 pm; D)  1200 hours, E)  Noon
19.		Attachments should: A)   Be equal or less than 10MB; B)  Always be used for resumes; C)  Have short titles (four words or less); D)  None of the above, E)  A, B & C
20.		When sending an urgent email: A)   Flags should always be used; B)  Multiple exclamation marks should be used in the address field; C)  Be stated as “Urgent” in the address field; D)  All of the above, E)  None of the above
21.		According to surveys, most email users: A)   Believe they check less than they do; B)  Respond less quickly than they actually do; C) Write worse email than they believe they do; D)  All of the above, E)  None of the above
22.		Which of the following is acceptable for using parentheses: A)   Adding information; B)  Adding an afterthought; C)  Adding a personal opinion; D)  All of the above, E)  None of the above
23.		Personal email policy should include: A)   A signature template; B)  Auto replies for absences longer than 48 hours; C)  A disclaimer; D)  A tone checker, E)  Auto correction for spelling

24.		When replying to an email: A)   Reply within 24 hours even on holidays; B)  Do not include the original attachment; C)  Keep the original email above the reply; D)  Do not include an additional attachment, E)  None of the above
25.		When should an email not be responded to: A)   When it is spam; B)  When a sender delivers two thank yous; C)  To an auto-reply; D)  All of the above, E)  A & B only  Answers 1-c, 2-a,3-d,4-e,5-e,6-d,7-b,8-b,9-a,10-e, 11-c,12-c,13-b,14-d,15-a,16-e,17-a,18-e, 19-b,20-e,21-d,22-d,23-a,24-b,25-d