In context: Modern email platforms have become increasingly effective at keeping spam messages at bay. Gmail, the world’s most popular email service by far, is particularly adept at this task, and it may soon get even better.

Even with the effectiveness of filters and the widespread use of open standards like OAuth for delegated access, some users still struggle to combat spam. Fortunately, Gmail may soon add a new tool to its anti-spam arsenal. A recent report from Android Authority suggests that Google is working on a feature called “Protected Email,” designed specifically to protect users from online tracking and data breaches.

The Protected Email option was discovered in a recent version (24.45.33) of Google Play Services, a proprietary package that Google installs on licensed Android devices for managing background services. Android Authority then found the Protected Email option in the operating system’s “Autofill” settings, although the link currently leads to a blank page.

Shielded Email will allow Android users to easily create an “email alias” – a fake email address that redirects to a real Gmail address. This alias can be used to access untrusted websites or to receive one-off messages from people you just met, whether for business or personal purposes.

The real Gmail address will remain hidden, but emails sent to the alias will still be delivered to the inbox. The alias acts as an intermediary between real email addresses and disposable addresses, providing the convenience of managing all messages through a single email service or app.

Although disposable email services typically offer a range of alternative domain names to improve privacy, it is still unclear whether Protected Email will include this feature. If spam becomes a problem, it appears that mail forwarding between the alias and the real Gmail address may be disabled.

The Shielded Email option appears to be a valuable addition to Android and Gmail, providing a useful privacy feature for consumers and enterprise users. However, it is possible that this is part of one of Google’s programs. limited test campaignswith no guarantee that the feature will be available to production users.

Notable third-party services offering anonymous mail forwarding alternatives include SimpleLogin (now owned by Proton) and AnonAddy.