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Google’s privacy policy, updated October 16, says Search may process data from Gmail, Drive and Google Photos to personalize content, including ads, when users allow those services to connect. Google says advertisers do not receive access to that personal content; users can disconnect services or turn off personalized recommendations.
Google’s privacy policy now says data from Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos may be processed to personalize ads when users choose to make it available to other Google services, including Search. The change, dated October 16 and reported by The Verge on October 23, ties the use of personal information for advertising to settings for Google’s AI and Search personalization features.
The updated wording adds an exception to Google’s earlier statement that it would not use content from Drive, Gmail or Photos for personalized ads. The policy now says that restriction does not apply when a user chooses to make data from those services available to another Google service that supports personalized ads. Android Authority first spotted the change, according to The Verge.
Google’s policy describes users allowing services such as Search or Gemini apps to access data from other Google services to provide a more personalized experience. It says the accessing service’s own policies and settings apply. Search, for example, may process some data a user has allowed it to access to personalize content, including advertisements.
The policy gives a separate example of how ad personalization can work: someone who searches for mountain bikes may later see sports-equipment ads on YouTube. The report says advertisers do not receive access to users’ Gmail, Drive or Photos information, or identifying details such as names and email addresses. Google also says it does not show ads based on sensitive categories such as race, sexual orientation, religion or health.
How Connected Apps Can Affect Ads
The change matters because users may connect personal services to Google’s AI features to get more tailored answers or recommendations, without necessarily expecting that information to affect advertising. Under the updated policy, data made available for personalization may also inform ads, depending on the user’s settings and the service processing it.
This does not mean advertisers can browse a person’s inbox or photo library, according to the report. Rather, Google says it may use allowed data to select personalized content, while withholding the underlying service data and personal identifiers from advertisers. The practical distinction is between information used by Google’s systems to personalize an ad and information shared directly with an advertiser.
The scope depends on individual choices: which services are connected, which settings are enabled, and how the receiving service uses the information. Users who prefer not to have personal-service data used in this way have controls to disconnect apps from Search’s Personal Intelligence features or disable Personalized Recommendations.
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The Policy’s New Exception
The relevant policy language concerns Google services that can access information from other services. Google says users may permit Search or Gemini apps to use data from Google Photos and Workspace apps such as Gmail and Drive for a more personalized experience. The terms say that this is subject to the policies and settings of the service receiving the data.
The earlier policy wording, as described by The Verge, said Google would not use Drive, Gmail or Photos content for personalized ads. The October 16 revision adds the exception for information users choose to make available to other Google services that support personalized advertising. The update was reported the following week; it does not establish that every user’s data is being used for ads.
Google’s stated controls are in Search Services Personalization settings. Users can choose which apps are disconnected from Search’s Personal Intelligence features or disable Personalized Recommendations entirely. The report does not say that turning off one feature automatically changes every other Google advertising or personalization setting.
“Search may process some of the data that you allow Search to access to personalize content, including ads.”
— Google, in the updated privacy policy
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Who Is Affected Remains Unclear
The policy wording does not specify how many people have connected Gmail, Drive or Photos to Search or Gemini features, or how often data from those services will affect an ad. The report also does not establish whether Google has already served ads based on such data to particular users. The precise signals used to select ads, and how users will be told that connected-service data contributed, are not detailed in the supplied material.
It is also unclear from the report how the change applies across different Google products and settings, or whether disconnecting a service in Search changes its availability to other features. Google’s policy says the receiving service’s policies and settings govern access, so users may need to review those controls separately. The stated limits on advertiser access and sensitive-category targeting describe Google’s position; the source does not independently audit how the systems operate.
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Review Personalization Settings
Users concerned about ads informed by connected personal data can review Search Services Personalization settings, disconnect Gmail, Drive or Photos from Search’s Personal Intelligence features, or disable Personalized Recommendations. The options described in the report let users limit access for those features; the report does not give a broader account of every Google privacy control.
Further clarity would depend on Google explaining how the updated wording is applied across Search and Gemini, what data categories contribute to ad selection, and how users can confirm which services are connected. Until then, the policy establishes that such use may occur under certain settings, but does not quantify its reach or show how frequently it happens.
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Key Questions
Does Google say advertisers can read my Gmail or Photos?
No. The report says advertisers do not receive access to users’ Gmail, Drive or Photos information, or personal identifiers such as names and email addresses. Google’s policy says data may be processed by a Google service to personalize content, including ads.
Will every Gmail or Photos user see ads based on that data?
The policy does not say that. It describes use when people choose to make data available to other Google services, and says ad personalization depends on settings. The report does not establish how many users are affected.
What kinds of information can affect personalized ads?
Google’s policy says Search may process data users allow it to access to personalize content, including ads. The report does not detail the specific Gmail, Drive or Photos information that could be used. Google says it does not target ads based on sensitive categories such as health, religion, race or sexual orientation.
How can I stop connected-service data being used this way?
The report says users can disconnect selected apps from Search’s Personal Intelligence features or turn off Personalized Recommendations in Search Services Personalization settings.
Source: hn
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