Google Privacy Policy Update Opens Door to Gmail Data in Ad Personalization

Google has updated its privacy policy in a way that appears to open the door to using data from apps such as Gmail, Drive, and Photos for advertising personalization. Ars Technica reports the change was spotted by Android Authority on October 16. The ad personalization section previously said Google did not show personalized ads based on content from Drive, Gmail, or Photos. The updated language no longer contains that same clear limit, according to the report.

The concern is not that Google says it will directly scan a Gmail inbox to build an ad profile. Instead, the updated policy appears to allow sensitive data to inform ads when it is shared with other Google services. Google has a mechanism for that kind of data sharing: Personal Intelligence, released in early 2026. It lets users connect data from multiple apps to Google AI products.

Personal Intelligence and AI Search

Personal Intelligence connects user data to the Gemini app and to features such as AI Mode search. The Gemini app does not currently have ads, but sponsored content may appear in AI search tools. Google's policy changes appear to acknowledge that data shared with AI search through Personal Intelligence could contribute to ad personalization.

Google said the clarification still does not mean ads are based directly on personal data. It said connecting apps is opt-in, ads will remain relevant to the query, the response context and user interests, and sensitive information will not be used to tailor ads.

Ars Technica describes that as a roundabout way of confirming that Workspace and Photos data may inform ads. If a user interacts with AI Mode while Personal Intelligence is enabled, summaries and insights from their data may inform the answers they receive. Because that same data is used for ad targeting, the report says personal data is an element of ad targeting in AI search.

Google's Response

A Google spokesperson told Ars that the privacy clarification does not indicate a change in how the company handles user data with respect to its advertising partners. According to that response, Google is not scanning an entire inbox to enhance an advertising profile, and it is not giving this data to third parties. But if a user pipes personal data into an AI search tool, the ads shown could be based on that information.

The broader issue is that Google wants its products and services to communicate with one another. Some apps, such as Gmail, still have protected status in Google's data handling, but there are now more avenues for that data to get out. The more data a user shares across Google's ecosystem, the greater the risk to privacy, according to the report.

Turning Off Personal Intelligence

Personal Intelligence is opt-in, but Ars Technica reports that Google uses prompts and pop-ups to encourage users to turn it on without fully explaining the consequences. Some users may have enabled it without realizing. To ensure ads never use personal data in this way, the report says users need to make sure Personal Intelligence is turned off.

The easiest way is to open Gemini settings for Personal Intelligence and disable the connected apps. These settings are also located in the main Google account settings under Data & privacy, then Personalization settings, then Manage Personalized Recommendations in Search Services, then Connected Content Apps. From there, users can disable connections to Workspace and Google Photos.

Earlier coverage: Google Brings More Personalized Gemini AI to Android Auto and Cars

Sources: Ars Technica · The Verge