MANILA, Philippines – Users of the classic version of Yahoo Mail may expect a bit of a change Monday, June 3,  as Yahoo! announced a mandatory switch to its latest system, as well as some changes to its privacy policy and terms of use.

A post by Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer on the Yahoo Yodel blog outlines what’s occurring, stating that the change will provide more intuitive and easier navigation of messages. The change will also create a “consistent look and feel across devices” that include Web, Windows 8, iPhone and iPod touch, and Android.

One change that some users may not like is the introduction of content scanning, which Gmail has already been doing.

Upgrading to the new version of Yahool Mail implies acceptance of its terms of service and privacy policies. In the help article prepared for prospective upgraders, it notes, “This includes the acceptance of automated content scanning and analyzing of your communications content, which Yahoo! uses to deliver product features, relevant advertising, and abuse protection.”

In other words, Yahoo Mail’s new terms permit it to scan the contents of email messages to deliver targeted advertising and abuse protection.

If users don’t wish to use the New Yahoo Mail, their options aren’t particularly inviting either. They can set up a different email program that accepts Internet Message Access Protocols (IMAP) to pick up their Yahoo-based emails. The other option is to close their accounts.

Gmail has taken fire from Microsoft for the practice of content scanning with its Scroogled campaign, so it’s possible that in this similar move by Yahoo Mail, users who value their privacy may find themselves left out in the cold. – Rappler.com