As of tomorrow Yahoo will be discontinuing its old Mail Classic email service, automatically switching all existing Mail users to a newly updated version and simultaneously forcing them to agree to a new privacy policy and terms of service in order to continue accessing their accounts. Unfortunately, the rule changes stipulate that Yahoo will henceforth be able to “scan emails to deliver product features, relevant advertising and abuse protection” – bang goes the last remnants of any privacy you might have had, in other words.

The new version of Yahoo Mail was first introduced last year, before an announcement in April that the Classic service would be discontinued shortly. However, Yahoo has been rather sneaky, as it conveniently ‘forgot’ to inform anyone of the new policy changes until a few days ago.

Here’s Yahoo’s latest statement, posted in its Help Center:

“Beginning the week of June 3, 2013, older versions of Yahoo! Mail (including Yahoo! Mail Classic) will no longer be available. After that, you can access your Yahoo! Mail only if you upgrade to the new version. When you upgrade, you will be accepting our Communications Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This includes the acceptance of automated content scanning and analyzing of your communications content.”

Basically, what this boils down to is that Yahoo Mail users are now going to be bombarded with advertising based on certain “keywords” in the emails they write and receive, just as Google’s Gmail service already does. So for example, if you write a message to someone and mention that your computer’s busted, expect to be bombarded with ads for new PCs or PC repair services.

Yahoo reminds us that it’s possible to opt out of the ads, but only if you pay to do so and subscribe to Yahoo Mail Plus. Doing so, you’ll be able to visit the Yahoo Ad Manager and switch them off.

Unfortunately, even paying customers won’t be able to opt out of having their email scanned (presumably so Yahoo can continue to deliver its new “product features” and “abuse protection”). In a rather blunt statement, Yahoo basically tells anyone who doesn’t agree with the new policies to ‘get stuffed, recommending that they either use an IMAP client (for example, Thunderbird) to forward their mail, or else close their account altogether.

There’s already been quite a bit of user backlash over Yahoo’s sudden invasion of privacy. One Yahoo customer writes on Jottit that Yahoo can now:

“Openly troll through email for personal information that it can share or hold onto indefinitely. Gay and haven’t come out yet? Yahoo knows…”

All in all, considering the problems that Yahoo Mail has had recently with accounts being hacked and the company apparently unable and unwilling to help users fix the issue, it may not be a bad time to switch after all. If you don’t want Yahoo reading up on your emails and storing information about you, read my earlier post on how to switch from Yahoo to another email provider (without losing any mail or losing your old Yahoo address) quickly and easily.