Google's GMail mail platform is one of the most-used (if not the most-used) and well-respected of its kind. GMail has somehow risen above countless other email providers like AOL, Yahoo, Netscape and many others to take control of their market. But, their shiny reputation might take a hit.

The Google System Blog has reported that Google is toying around with new ads that will show up in your inbox as emails. Well, they won't technically "be" emails, but they'll be close enough. They will show up in your inbox alongside other incoming messages, but they will be marked with a folder labeled "ads." 

Google is not the first company to start embedding advertising within the existing confines of their media. Social media giant Twitter started this last year with the implementation of "promoted tweets." These would be links or advertisements that were sponsored by companies and then stuck in your timeline like a tweet. Only you didn't ask for it.

The GMail community is still debating this touchy subject. Some feel that it invades a user's privacy. But, GMail is a free service and Google has to keep the lights on somehow. Only time will tell whether or not this feature will ever be implemented world-wide and how it will be received.