Private, naturally
We believe privacy is a fundamental human right, and we are always looking for meaningful actions we can do to further protect your privacy.
Did you know that when you open an email that embeds images hosted elsewhere, the sender can often tell where you are in the world, what device you are using, and even link you to logins at other sites? Fastmail stops all that in its tracks by requesting the images anonymously on your behalf.
Your email address uniquely identifies you on the web, and allows ad companies to track you across the internet when you sign up for accounts online. With Fastmail’s Masked Email you can get a unique email address for each login and your real address will stay private. Companies have no way of linking different Masked Email addresses together to track you.
We are strong advocates for better privacy, but it takes more than one voice to create change. Fastmail partners with groups that inform consumers, advise governmental policy, and shine a light on bad business behaviour. We are proud of our work with Electronic Frontiers Australia, Digital Rights Watch, Australian Privacy Foundation, and the Communications Alliance.
Frequently asked questions
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Does Fastmail respond to law enforcement data requests?
As an Australian company, we are required to respond to requests made through Australian law enforcement, and forbidden (by the Australian Privacy Principles, section 6) from disclosing information to foreign authorities. All requests are checked for legal validity before being actioned. We only respond to warrants for specific user data, we do not provide any kind of dragnet access. Our data transparency report shows how many requests we actioned each year.
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Do Fastmail employees have access to my data?
Due to the nature of their jobs, some employees have the capability to access customer data. We operate on a principle of least privilege, so employees only have access to data they need. Accessing any personal data, including emails, contacts, and event information, requires an employee to request specific access, including a justification (normally a link to the support ticket where the user gave permission to access their data to help resolve their issue). All such access is logged and audited. Employees are bound by strict requirements to uphold customer privacy. Violations of this can result in sanctions all the way up to termination and prosecution. Thankfully, we employ great people who also believe in privacy, and so far in our 25-year history we have never had to take action for this.