Draft:StartMail
| Submission declined on 2 March 2025 by Sirdog (talk). This submission appears to read more like an advertisement than an entry in an encyclopedia. Encyclopedia articles need to be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources, not just to materials produced by the creator of the subject being discussed. This is important so that the article can meet Wikipedia's verifiability policy and the notability of the subject can be established. If you still feel that this subject is worthy of inclusion in Wikipedia, please rewrite your submission to comply with these policies. This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of web content). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia.
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Comment: This draft has a couple of problems, unfortunately. The first paragraph of the "History" section is entirely unsourced. The source for the statement "In 2023, StartMail introduced enhancements to its encryption protocols and launched features such as alias management to protect users' primary email addresses
" fails verification. Verbiage in the draft comes across as promotional, such as "The same year, StartMail celebrated its 10th anniversary by releasing tailored business plans for small teams, further expanding its market reach and focusing on privacy-centric solutions for professionals
" (emphasis on particularly non-neutral phrasing). A lot of the sourcing appears to be StartMail appearing on a list of privacy-focused email providers, with "reviews" tending to lean towards just going over the features of the service rather than providing independent commentary on the service, and so I'm concerned that StartMail may not meet our notability standards. Please review Wikipedia:Notability, Wikipedia:Neutral point of view, and Wikipedia:Reliable sources. —Sirdog (talk) 00:37, 2 March 2025 (UTC)
StartMail is a privacy-focused email service founded in 2013 in the Netherlands by Robert Beens and his team. StartMail is designed to provide secure, encrypted email services to individuals and businesses, emphasizing user privacy and the protection of personal data. The service is part of the broader Startpage ecosystem, which is known for its privacy-first search engine.
History
[edit]StartMail was launched in 2013 as a sister product to Startpage, a privacy-oriented search engine co-founded by Robert Beens. The company's headquarters is located in the Netherlands, which provides a favorable jurisdiction for data privacy under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In 2023, StartMail introduced enhancements to its encryption protocols and launched features such as alias management to protect users' primary email addresses.[1] The same year, StartMail celebrated its 10th anniversary by releasing tailored business plans for small teams, further expanding its market reach and focusing on privacy-centric solutions for professionals.[2] These efforts were highlighted by the introduction of enhanced business email services, as noted in reports by independent outlets.[3]
Features
[edit]StartMail differentiates itself from other email providers by offering:
- End-to-end encryption: Emails are encrypted from sender to recipient, ensuring that only authorized parties can access the content.[4]
- GDPR Compliance: StartMail operates under strict European privacy laws, avoiding user tracking and data sales.[5]
- Custom Email Alias: Users can create disposable aliases for enhanced anonymity.[6]
- Business Accounts: StartMail offers business plans tailored to small teams, integrating privacy and security features.[7]
- Third-Party Client Compatibility: StartMail integrates with popular email clients via IMAP and SMTP protocols.[8]
Reception
[edit]StartMail has received praise for its strong focus on privacy and ease of use. Reviews have highlighted its robust encryption features and compliance with European privacy standards. However, some critics have pointed out its slightly higher pricing compared to other email providers.[9] Others have noted that its value lies in catering to users who prioritize privacy and security.[10] Various media outlets have recommended StartMail as a viable alternative to mainstream email services, emphasizing its strong data protection policies.[11][12]
A detailed review from PCMag praised StartMail for its security measures, stating that it offers strong encryption options but at a higher price point than some competitors.[13]
Challenges and legal issues
[edit]In January 2020, StartMail was blocked in Russia following allegations that it had been used for sending false bomb threats to courts, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that since November 2019, thousands of fraudulent threats had been sent via encrypted email services, including StartMail. However, no actual threats were found to be credible. The blocking was implemented at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and the telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor.[14][15][16]
StartMail, known for its privacy-focused email encryption, stated that it does not monitor or access user emails and thus could not provide data to Russian authorities. The company emphasized that it operates under Dutch law and cannot comply with foreign government requests without a proper legal process through Dutch courts.[17] The company further claimed that it was added to a Russian registry of information processors without its knowledge, which would have required it to share user data with Russian authorities—a demand it refused to comply with.[18]
Following the blocking of StartMail, Russian authorities also moved to restrict access to other encrypted email providers, citing similar reasons. The Russian government claimed that blocking these email services was necessary to prevent further misuse for criminal activities. However, critics suggested that the move was part of a broader crackdown on encrypted communication and digital privacy in Russia.[19][20]
See also
[edit]- Startpage - Comparison of mail servers - Comparison of webmail providers
References
[edit]- ^ "StartMail rolls out advanced encryption features". TechRadar. October 21, 2024.
- ^ "A Decade of Digital Privacy: Celebrating StartMail's 10th Anniversary". 2023.
- ^ "StartMail Expands to Small Business Market". The Arabian Post. October 10, 2023.
- ^ "StartMail Review". ProPrivacy. April 4, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "The Best Email Service Provider For Data Privacy In 2025". Fluent Support. March 22, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "Email Spotlight Series - StartMail". ShuttleCloud. April 4, 2023.
- ^ "StartMail launches new business plans for small teams". CyberNews. 2023.
- ^ Neil J. Rubenking (December 21, 2019). "StartMail Review". PCMag Australia. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "StartMail vs FastMail Email Service Comparison". ForwardEmail. January 1, 2025.
- ^ "StartMail Review: An emerging leader in email privacy". RestorePrivacy. November 27, 2024.
- ^ "Zo kom je van Google af". AD. October 7, 2022.
- ^ "De vijf beste alternatieven voor Gmail: overzicht en privacy". AndroidWorld. March 29, 2024.
- ^ "StartMail Review". PCMag. May 19, 2023.
- ^ "Russia blocks Dutch email service StartMail". Bright.nl. January 23, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Russia blocks encrypted email services after series of bomb threats". NU.nl. January 29, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "ProtonMail and StartMail blocked as Russia hunts for bomb threat spammers". Bitdefender Blog. January 30, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Russia blocks Dutch email provider StartMail". RD.nl. January 23, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Russia threatens to block ProtonMail, previously blocked StartMail". Pit-Recht.nl. January 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Russia blocks ProtonMail and StartMail, citing bomb threat abuse". Computing.co.uk. January 29, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Russia blocks encrypted email services". Security.nl. January 23, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2025.