A Fundamental Change in Privacy Policy
Google has updated its privacy policy, effective October 16, adding a significant exception to its previous commitment not to use user content in Gmail, Google Photos, and Drive services for ad personalization purposes. While the traditional statement denying the use of this content for advertising remains, it is now followed by an additional condition: "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized advertising."
What Changes in Practice?
This change is directly linked to the "Personal Intelligence" feature, an optional feature that allows Gemini models and the AI mode in Google Search to access the context of user data from their personal apps. For example, if a user asks the AI for suggestions for an upcoming trip, the system can scan booking confirmations in Gmail or old photos to provide an accurate answer.
Google clarifies that ads will not target users based directly on email content or photos, but the system may use summaries, snippets, and inferences drawn from these connected apps to guide advertising. The company emphasizes that advertisers do not have direct access to these apps, and sensitive categories such as health, religion, and sexual orientation remain outside the scope of ad targeting.
Why This News Matters
This development represents a shift in Google's approach, which it has followed since 2017, when the company stopped scanning inbox contents for advertising purposes in response to legal and privacy pressures. Now, with the integration of artificial intelligence, private user data is returning to play an indirect role in the personalized advertising ecosystem.
How to Control Data
Users who prefer to maintain the privacy of their data can still take steps to limit this access:
- Disconnecting: Users can disconnect Gmail and Google Photos through the "Search Services Personalization" settings under the "Connected Content Apps" section in their Google account.
- Managing Ads: Ad personalization can also be disabled via "My Ad Center," although this option may not necessarily prevent connected apps from feeding data to AI features.