Google Rewrites Privacy Policy to Use Gmail Data for Ads

Google has quietly altered the terms governing how it handles your personal files, raising questions about the privacy promises it has long maintained.

The revision, which took effect on October 16, modifies the company's longstanding pledge not to utilize content from Gmail, Drive, or Google Photos for personalized advertising. The previous policy stated this exclusion unequivocally. The current version, however, appends a new clause: "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads." This means that by linking these accounts to AI-powered tools for enhanced functionality, users are also consenting to the use of that data for ad targeting. Google confirms that this applies to anyone who has connected their services to AI Mode and other Search tools via the Personal Intelligence feature.

The policy text explicitly states: "You may choose to allow certain Google services, including services like Search or Gemini Apps, to access data from other Google services you use..." It further clarifies that "Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests, activity, or personalized content from Google services." This is the mechanism by which, for instance, a search for "mountain bikes" could result in sports equipment ads appearing on YouTube.

Google maintains that advertisers do not gain access to the actual content of your emails, drives, or photos, nor do they receive personally identifying details like your name or email address. The company also states that it will not serve ads based on sensitive categories including race, sexual orientation, religion, or health status.

Users who wish to prevent this data sharing must take specific action. One can disconnect individual apps from Search’s Personal Intelligence features or disable Personalized Recommendations entirely by visiting the Search Services Personalization settings page. The new policy is effective as of October 16, 2026.

This update arrives amidst ongoing scrutiny of how tech giants leverage user data. While the company argues that sharing data for better AI recommendations also means opening it up for more personalized ads, the shift from an absolute prohibition to a conditional exception marks a significant change in how personal information is handled within its ecosystem. Current Wire Hub will continue to monitor how this policy affects user privacy.