Google is a public service provider that has to handle loads of legal complaints, including subpoenas and lawsuits. Gmail is the online internet mail that Google provides to the general public.  The Gmail legal department is responsible for handling of all legal cases, from email hacking to email account unauthorized closing, malwares and other illegal actions that are becoming more and more recurrent. The Gmail legal department does not only manage complaints from their account members, but they also have to deal with grievances from other service providers regarding misdeeds of Google members.

However, if a user opens the Google ‘Terms of Service’ page or Privacy and Help Center pages, he/she will observe that it is difficult to find information regarding the Google Legal Department. Only people who are familiar with Google functions seem to know that such department exists. Although most people have a vague idea of the existence of an internet provider’s legal department, it seems that the Gmail legal department’s contact details are not easily accessible. The tone of Google group discussion forums is indicative of the difficulties to get these details and a feedback from the department.

Indeed, it seems that contacting the Gmail legal department is like trying to make contact with the office of an eminent personality that casts doubt on the transparency and functioning of this service provider that is presently being subject to much criticism for customer watchdogs and email users who are victims of fraudulent deeds. For people who are lucky to live in the United States and countries where there are Google offices, the common avenue to get in touch with someone of the internet providers legal department is to send a direct correspondence or to go in person. Whereas for others who live outside of the United States, it seems that the only recourse remains to contact them via email or fax or to phone them. However, it is most probable that their actions will be vain.

Actually, the information and feedback from Google users and other Internet customers, give the impression that in cases of cyber crimes, Gmail legal department is responsive and collaborative, mainly when subpoenas are served on them. For example, when people do a search on ‘how to contact Gmail legal section’ and/or ‘how to contact Google legal department’, they will find out that almost all people wrote that they either could not make contact with them and when they did so, the received no response. Besides, most people reported that the only option they were left with was to have a court order served on Google to repair the tort caused to them and to ensure effective actions to repair damages.

It seems like the most effective way for Google users and other Internet customers to be heard is to contact the Google legal department directly.  In cases of legal complaints such as email hacking, malware and illegal account removal, the most effective way is to go through a legal institution that has jurisdiction on the legal complaint. Even in such instances, a prompt reply from Google is not guaranteed and people are almost sure to get a standardized answer if they succeed in catching the attention of Gmail legal department.