Google’s privacy update raises questions about ads based on Gmail and Photos data
Google has added an exception to its privacy policy concerning the use of personal data for personalized advertising. The previous policy said the company would not use data from services including Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos to target ads.
The revised language says this restriction does not apply if users choose to make data from those services available to other Google services that support personalized ads.
The wording is likely to affect users who connect their Google accounts to AI Mode and other Search tools, where access to personal emails, files, or photos may be offered as part of the experience. Under the updated terms, providing that information to those services could allow it to be used by advertising systems within Google.
The change is a modification of the conditions governing data use rather than an announcement that targeted ads based on Gmail or Photos will begin appearing for all users. It does, however, narrow a previously broad statement about how those services’ data may be used, giving users an additional privacy trade-off to consider when enabling connected features.