Google Revises Privacy Policy to Allow Ads Based on Gmail, Photos and Drive Data for Some Users

Google has changed its privacy policy in a way that could expose some users to advertising shaped by the contents of their personal accounts. The revision, first noticed by Android Authority, carves out an exception to the company's longstanding pledge not to use data from Drive, Gmail or Google Photos for personalized ads.

Before the update, the policy stated simply that Google would not do so. Since October 16, it has included an added qualifier: the commitment holds "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads."

In practical terms, the change applies to people who have connected Drive, Gmail or Google Photos to AI Mode and other Search tools through Google's Personal Intelligence feature. That connection lets the tools draw on a person's own content to give more tailored answers and recommendations. Under the new terms, the same sharing can also mean ads are targeted using that content.

Google has described some limits. Advertisers do not receive access to the information held in a user's Drive, Gmail or Photos, nor do they get personally identifying details such as a name or email address. The company also says it will not show ads based on sensitive categories, including race, sexual orientation, religion or health.

The policy text explains that users may allow certain Google services, such as Search or Gemini Apps, to reach data from other Google products, including Photos and Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, to provide "a more personalized experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service." It offers an example: Search may process some of the data a user permits it to access in order to personalize content, including ads.

The policy also describes how ad personalization works more broadly. "Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests, activity, or personalized content from Google services," it says. As an illustration, someone who searches for "mountain bikes" in Search might later see ads for sports equipment on YouTube.

Users who want to keep their personal data out of ad targeting have options. They can pick which apps to disconnect from Search's Personal Intelligence features, or they can switch off Personalized Recommendations altogether through the Search Services Personalization settings page.