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Gmail Has An April Fool's Day Prank For You

by Rosie Holden Vacanti Gilroy

Update: A Google spokesperson said in a statement: "Well, it looks like we pranked ourselves this year. Due to a bug, the MicDrop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than laughs. We’re truly sorry. The feature has been turned off. If you are still seeing it, please reload your Gmail page."

Earlier: It is widely known that millennials are obsessed with having the last word. Be it over text, Facebook, Twitter, or Tinder, today, there is little shame greater than not winning an argument. It's clearly not only millennials who care about being the last one to get in a jab, either — just look at the endless Twitter wars between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. With its new Gmail Mic Drop feature, Google proves that it understands the importance of having the last say in 2016. On Friday, the tech company will release a new feature on its email site to help users ensure their emails receive no rebuttal — well, for 24 hours, that is.

On April 1, Gmail will release its new Mic Drop feature, which allows users to send an email, but opt out of being able to receive replies. Instead, by clicking the Mic Drop button — which will appear next to the "send" button — users automatically bcc themselves into an email conversation. That's right, no one can respond to the sender!

Better yet, a GIF summing up the whole "and I'm out" situation will send along with all Mic Drop emails. Is there anything more exemplary of how we'll all feel after using this feature than a Minion literally dropping a mic? No, there's not.

Google knows its new feature is what we've all been waiting for, and on the banner introducing the Mic Drop feature, the company makes this pretty clear: "Enjoy having the last word — knowing they can't respond to you." Not only is Google giving us the last word, but the company is also reminding us to rejoice in all our last-word winning.

Sadly, of course, this new feature will not last forever, but rather only for the duration of April Fool's Day 2016. That means Friday would be a good time to send all those controversial emails you've been meaning to write. After that, Gmail will return to normal and users will be forced to return to their worries over being bested.

Google has a long history of celebrating April Fool's Day and has carried out some pretty spectacular pranks in the past, so, most likely the Mic Drop feature will not be the only Google prank on April Fool's Day. But really, what could be better than having the last word?

Image: Google (1); Giphy (1), Universal Pictures