Post Offices in Germany Will Now Convert Regular Mail Into Email on Request

Germans can now start getting their post delivered to them via e-mail, CNN reports.

Under a new digitization pilot program, customers can opt to have their mail “e-scanned,” meaning their mail will be opened and scanned, before it is sent to them online.

The scheme aims to bring the national mail service more in line with a digitized world. Like many mail services, the Deutsche Post has struggled to stay competitive amidst the tide of e-mail, CNN reports.

But in seeking to boost convenience, especially for customers wanting to receive their mail while traveling, the “e-scan” service may also prompt a host of privacy and data security concerns. The digitalization program would require “e-scan” customers to waive their right to privacy, CNN reports.

The “e-scan” service currently only applies to postcards and letters. Larger items will still have to be collected in person.

Until July, the “e-scan” pilot will be available at a promotional price of about US $5.74 per month, according to CNN.

In its own digitization quest, the U.S. Postal Service launched a program called “Informed Delivery” in 2017 that allows customers to digitally preview their mail. Unlike the Deutsche Post’s pilot, the USPS service only scans the exterior of letter-sized mail, however.