Avatar for internal domain and BIMI for external receiver

[OpenBSD]

We are about to activate and use BIMI feature but we want to make sure that BIMI will not replace the avatar of our Internal users. Objective is to let BIMI activate only on external email but personal avatar on our domain (tenant) remains unchanged.

Can you confirm me if it is the case or if you plan to get this capability activated?

[KAM]

@OpenBSD So OpenBSD using Google Workspace asking Google a BIMI implementation question? 🙂 Here's the working group contact for BIMI: https://bimigroup.org/contact-us/

-KAM

[OpenBSD]

Thanks @KAM ; OpenBSD is my nickname 😉 However, as a customer of Google Workplace, I want to know if Google can overwrite BIMI logo when internal users are exchanging internally. The BIMI feature is very useful but for external communication and useless for internal employees within the tenant/domain.

[ihyzy]

at least on our domain, BIMI did overwrite our avatars internally. Everyone shows up as the logo in Gmail. 

[OpenBSD]

How can we avoid it as BIMI is supposed to be for outside (other domains / receivers). No value to have internal avatar replaced by our Brand Logo; Don't you think?

[ihyzy]

I also think it's goofy behavior but I'm not aware of any way to change it.

[KAM · Accepted solution]

I would say that talking to the Working Group for BIMI and doing a feature request makes the most sense.  Google's implementation of BIMI is a verification process and is surfaced in the avatar feature so yeah, it's going to overwrite the Avatar.  I see your point that for domain to domain uses, doing that is not ideal.  -KAM

[ihyzy]

Is the BIMI logo appearing for inter-domain emails part of the spec or is that up to the mail client to decide? 

[HubertNodzak]

Hello, what is a current status of this feature request?

[ohaythur]

I'm not sure why this was selected as a solution as BIMI has no control over Google's implementation of BIMI, and states that on the form you linked to.

[igmarinelli]

KAM, this is not about BIMI's capabilities, therefore it makes no sense to take this to the Working Group.
This is about how bad Google have implemented BIMI internally, overwriting their own Workspace users avatar; Trashing UX; Great example of terrible user implementation, congrats to the engineering team 👎

[KAM]

@igmarinelli I happen to know that Google and BIMI worked together on the implementation so I think this was more by design and what was wanted than you think. -KAM

[OpenBSD]

I would have not say in that way, but you are right. The BIMI is a standard and it is up to any email provider such as Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or anyone to follow and implement it for their customer. Now, the internal avatar shall not be removed for its own domain (it makes sense for me). 

I hope Google engineers will fix it in timely manner as they usually do.

[brian176]

We implemented BIMI and immediately had to turn it back off due to the internal profile photo override. Please allow Workspace Admins to set internal behavior. BIMI should be for external use only.