Press releases as promos

Google's recently launched filtering system for Gmail users in India, which automatically sorts emails under Primary, Social and Promotions tabs, is doing journalists both a service as well as disservice depending on how you look at it. Based on Google's analysis, important emails come under Primary, notifications from social networking sites under Social, and mass mailers from retail stores, offers from e-commerce companies, subscribed newsletters and so on - in short, mails that get the least attention from users - under Promotions. For journalists, however, this sorting technique may be problematic because the hundreds of press releases and invitations they receive every day are also bunged under Promotions. Given that many press releases do actually read like promos, Gmail's filtering system can hardy be blamed - though no doubt an algorithm will ensure that Google's press releases do not end up meeting the same fate.