Gmail keeps "Report spam & unsubscribe" distinct to prevent misleading signals

The "Unsubscribe" option in Gmail has been moved from the three-dot overflow menu to the conversation view on mobile devices (Android initially, iOS shortly).

Along with adding it as a hover action in the inbox view alongside delete, archive, and other options, Gmail also made the button more noticeable on the web.

In the meantime, Google is getting rid of the "Report spam & unsubscribe" option. In order to prevent misleading signals that might affect communications you really desire, Gmail is separating the choices for "Report spam" and "Unsubscribe."

The web and Android platforms have been receiving these updates in recent weeks, and the iOS platform will follow shortly.

In the future, Google plans to mandate one-click unsubscribe by February 2024 for bulk senders, or those who send more than 5,000 emails daily to Gmail accounts. Gmail will need these commercial senders to execute the unsubscribe request within two days and to make the one-click unsubscribe link prominently displayed in the message body.

In order to prevent spoofing and impersonation of the "From" address, the organization is also requiring these senders to verify emails using DKIM (and SPF). Additionally, DMARC (which is used by official logos and blue checkmarks) must be implemented.

Finally, as Gmail's Postmaster Tools have revealed, Google is putting into effect a 0.3% "clear spam rate threshold that senders must stay under to ensure Gmail recipients aren't bombarded with unwanted messages."