So essentially, no, they do not have "all my emails".
> "Instead, it's still stored on google's servers but they can access your emails via automated requests to google, via search terms or by providing your user handle"
You just said previously the exact opposite! That they can't query Google, but they have the data themselves.
> "Is that a meaningful difference, in terms of privacy?"
Yes, because it means Google are aware of what data they are being requested, and what they are sending in return.
The transparency reports for these companies show that the total number of requests is in the region of 10k/year - a lot in some senses, but nowhere near the level of surveillance many people seem to believe.
> "Instead, it's still stored on google's servers but they can access your emails via automated requests to google, via search terms or by providing your user handle"
You just said previously the exact opposite! That they can't query Google, but they have the data themselves.
> "Is that a meaningful difference, in terms of privacy?"
Yes, because it means Google are aware of what data they are being requested, and what they are sending in return.
The transparency reports for these companies show that the total number of requests is in the region of 10k/year - a lot in some senses, but nowhere near the level of surveillance many people seem to believe.