Google has updated its privacy policy, which may allow it to use your Gmail and Google Photos to serve targeted ads. The update, published on Friday (16 October), clarifies that while Google does not pull data directly from Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos for standard advertising, it does use information from these connected apps to power its "Personal Intelligence" services.
Google introduced Personal Intelligence early this year to make its AI services useful. If a user opts for this feature, Gemini and Google Search provide results that are tailored according to their needs instead of serving a generic answer. The data for this personalised answer is pulled from connected apps such as Gmail and Google Photos.
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"You may choose to allow certain Google services, including services like Search or Gemini Apps, to access data from other Google services you use, such as Google Photos and Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, in order to provide you with a more personalised experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service," reads a policy update effective Oct 16.
"For example, Search may process some of the data that you allow Search to access to personalise content, including ads. Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalised ads based on your interests, activity, or personalised content from Google services," it added.
Google clarified that advertisers do not get access to Drive, Gmail, and Photos information or personally identifying details such as your name or email address. The company added that ads based on sensitive categories like race, sexual orientation, religion or health will not be shown.
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How To Disconnect
If you want to prevent personal data from being used to serve targeted ads, simply disconnect the apps from Search's Personal Intelligence features via the Search Services Personalisation settings page.
- Open Google Account and scroll to Data and privacy
- Under Personalisation and activity, select Personalisation settings
- Choose Manage Personalised Recommendations in Search Services
- Find Connected Content apps under Additional Personal Intelligence
- Disconnect Google Workspace and Google Photos if you don't want Search accessing your content.
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