Google revised its privacy policy to permit content from Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos to be used for ad personalization when users connect those services to Google’s AI features, the company said. The change took effect Oct. 16 and was first flagged by Android Authority.
What changed
The updated language adds a conditional exception to Google’s long-standing pledge not to use content from those three consumer apps for personalized advertising. Google now says it does not show personalized ads based on content from Drive, Gmail or Photos “unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads.”
“unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads.” — Google privacy policy, updated Oct. 16
How AI features factor in
Google tied the change to its push to make AI features more useful by drawing on a user’s own information. The company’s Personal Intelligence initiative — which enables products such as AI Mode in Search and its Gemini models to surface data from a user’s connected apps — can now, when enabled, make that connected content available to other Google services that support personalized ads.
- The company said the content from Gmail, Drive and Photos still isn’t used for ad targeting by default.
- Google said advertisers do not get access to the underlying email messages, files or photos.
- Users can opt out by disconnecting the apps in Connected Content app settings, Google said.
Limits and company statements
Google stressed that the revision is conditional and that personally identifying details will not be shared with advertisers without permission. In practice, the company said it is not scanning private emails and photos wholesale to sell ads; rather, users who opt into AI conveniences may permit connected data to influence which ads they see.
The change reflects how Google is marrying personalized AI features with existing ad systems. It places a new decision point in front of users: trade additional AI-driven convenience and contextual assistance for a form of ad personalization that draws on connected content, or keep those apps disconnected to retain the prior restriction.
Users who prefer not to allow connected content to influence ads can manage settings under Connected Content apps and disable the link to AI features.
