Google Policy Shift Paves Way for Ads Drawn From Personal Files
A revised privacy document now links data sharing for enhanced AI features with exposure to targeted advertising.
By Sakura Novak ·
Google has modified its privacy policy to permit the use of data from personal services like Gmail and Google Photos for targeted advertising purposes under specific circumstances. The revision, which was identified as having taken effect on October 16, alters the company's previous stance regarding the separation of these repositories from its advertising network.
The update specifically introduces a conditional clause to its long-standing promise not to utilize Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos for personalized ads. The new language states, "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads." This effectively bridges the gap between data processing for AI enhancements and commercial ad targeting.
According to the company’s documentation, users may choose to grant services such as Search or Gemini Apps access to data from other platforms, including Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive. The explicit purpose of this access is to provide a "more personalized experience," subject to the policies of the accessing service. Google’s policy provides an example stating, "Search may process some of the data that you allow Search to access to personalize content, including ads."
The provision for personalized advertising is linked to the activation of specific tools. Individuals who have connected Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos to AI Mode and other Search tools via the Personal Intelligence feature are subject to these changes. This feature allows those tools to provide improved responses or recommendations by utilizing knowledge of the user.
Google maintains that advertisers do not receive direct access to the content within Drive, Gmail, and Photos. Furthermore, advertisers are not provided with personally identifying details, such as a user's name or email address. The company also asserts that it will not display advertisements based on sensitive categories, including race, sexual orientation, religion, or health.
The policy outlines the mechanism for ad serving, stating, "Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests, activity, or personalized content from Google services." It provides an example where a search for mountain bikes could result in ads for sports equipment on YouTube.
Users who wish to prevent their personal data from being used for targeted advertising retain control over these settings. The company allows individuals to choose which apps to disconnect from Search’s Personal Intelligence features or to disable Personalized Recommendations entirely via the Search Services Personalization settings page.
