# Canary Mail has "read reciepts"

**URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/canary-mail-has-read-reciepts/26629
**Category:** General
**Tags:** software
**Created:** 2025-04-12T02:38:45Z
**Posts:** 7

## Post 1 by @keyboardclairenet — 2025-04-12T02:38:45Z

The proprietary email client listed under Privacy Guides’s recommendations for email client called Canary Mail emailed me some spam about them having “read reciepts”

 ![Screenshot_20250411-222618](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/b/bf7885069934b1957803c159063fe9bbd7579ff5.png)  
I’m fairly sure that this is not part of the email protocol and that they might be using tracking pixels. Thoughts?

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## Post 2 by @jonah — 2025-04-12T02:43:52Z

> [@keyboardclairenet](#):
>
> I’m fairly sure that this is not part of the email protocol

Read receipts _are_ defined in RFC 2298, although I am not sure if this is the functionality they are using.

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## Post 3 by @keyboardclairenet — 2025-04-12T03:00:00Z

I wasn’t aware of that. Thanks for letting me know.  
I’m not sure why I didn’t already Google it, probably because I’m tired and it’s 10pm and i just got home from work but I did find an article that says yes they do infact use tracking images [Email Read Receipts: Everything You Need to Know - Canary Mail Blog](https://canarymail.io/blog/email-read-receipts/)

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## Post 4 by @keyboardclairenet — 2025-04-12T03:14:13Z

![Screenshot_20250411-231235](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/3/3ce5ff8bc322d65114965ec47dc77b59896462b2.png)  
Yikes. I just tested and a plaintext email containing “123” is sent as this.

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## Post 5 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-04-12T09:17:23Z

Very interresting that they looked into whether pixels are legally binding but they forgot to check if it is legal at all.

Email pixels without consent are illegal under the GDPR.

> **[Email Tracking - GDPR EU](https://www.gdpreu.org/gdpr-compliance/email-tracking/)**
>
> In the Working Party 29 Opinion 2/2006, Chairman Peter Schaar outlines services that track email opens:

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## Post 6 by @anonfox — 2025-04-12T11:35:41Z

Probably a good time to take a look at [Arca by Privacy Everywhere](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/arca-by-privacy-everywhere/26343)

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## Post 7 by @mika — 2025-04-12T15:40:40Z

It’s still early in development, and I have not personally used it, but emClient for iOS may fill the niche Canary is leaving behind:

> **[‎eM Client](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/em-client/id1561166404)**
>
> ‎eM Client is a modern, powerful and easy-to-use email app designed for your iPhone and iPad.
> 
> 
> 
> eM Client supports all major email services, such as Gmail, Exchange, Microsoft365, Yahoo and many others. You can set up any email account that uses...