Google's updated policy lets Gmail, Drive and Photos data shape personalized ads
Users who connect those apps to Search's AI features could see ads based on their content, unless they opt out.
Google has revised its privacy policy so that data from Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos may be used for personalized advertising, which reverses an earlier pledge not to do so. The change, first noticed by Android Authority and dated October 16, adds a carve-out for users who opt to share that data with other Google services that support personalized ads. The practical effect is that people who connect those apps to AI Mode and other Search tools through Personal Intelligence could start seeing ads shaped by that content. Google says advertisers do not receive the underlying files or identifying details such as names and email addresses, and that ads will not target sensitive categories such as race, religion or health. Users who want to stop this can disconnect individual apps from Search's Personal Intelligence features or turn off Personalized Recommendations in the Search Services settings.
Why it matters
Google has reversed an earlier pledge not to use Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos data for personalized advertising. The change applies only to users who choose to share that data with Search's Personal Intelligence features, and Google says advertisers never receive the underlying files or identifying details such as names and email addresses. For people who connect those apps, however, the ads they see may now reflect what they store and send, so the choice to share becomes a choice about advertising as well as search. Users who want to keep their content out of ad targeting can disconnect the apps or turn off Personalized Recommendations in Search Services settings.
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