Will Google use Gmail and Photos data for targeted ads?

Modifications made recently to Google's privacy terms might lead to customized promotions appearing based on details about you whenever artificial intelligence capabilities are utilized. The update, originally spotted by Android Authority and covered by outlets like The Verge and Ars Technica, adds an exception to the company's previous promise about not using Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos for personalized ads.

While the older version of the document simply stated that Google would not use content from those specific apps for ad personalization, the updated text includes a crucial addition. As of October 16, Google added a line stating that this protection holds unless users choose to make information from those tools accessible to alternative Google platforms that provide customized advertising. This shift opens the door for personal data to influence advertising profiles when it is shared across different tools within the ecosystem.

What triggers the use of personal data for ads?

The change is tied directly to a feature called Personal Intelligence, which Google released in early 2026. This feature allows users to hand data from multiple applications to Google AI products so the tools can provide better answers and recommendations based on user context. Linking Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos with AI Mode and other search utilities through Personal Intelligence grants those programs greater familiarity with your profile. Because those same AI search tools can feature sponsored content and ads, information shared with them can ultimately feed into marketing customization.

According to Google, turning on Personal Intelligence is completely optional and entirely opt-in. However, Ars Technica noted that the company uses various pop-ups and prompts to encourage users to turn the feature on without always fully explaining the consequences. Consequently, some users may have enabled the feature without realizing how it affects their privacy or ad targeting.

Do advertisers get to see my emails and photos?

Advertisers do not receive direct permission to view information stored within your Drive, Gmail, and Photos accounts. Neither do marketers obtain specific credentials that reveal who you are, including your full name or electronic mail address. Google explicitly states that it will not display marketing material derived from private classifications covering things like race, sexual orientation, religion, or medical condition. Furthermore, a Google spokesperson told Ars Technica that the policy clarification does not mean the company is evaluating every single message in your email directory to boost your marketing profile, nor is it handing any of this information over to third parties.

Google maintains that promotional materials will remain relevant to inquiries you type, surrounding conversational context, and broader topics you enjoy. The company emphasizes that promotional content is not generated straight from your email inbox or picture repository. Instead, if you interact with AI search tools while Personal Intelligence is enabled, summaries and insights derived from your data can inform the answers you get, and because that same data feeds into the search environment, it becomes an element of the broader ad targeting mechanism.

How can I stop my data from being used for ads?

Users hoping to block their private records from influencing promotional algorithms must modify their account preferences manually. Individuals have the freedom to select which software programs they wish to sever from Search's Personal Intelligence capabilities, or they can turn off tailored suggestions completely through the Search Services Personalization options page. The most direct approach involves navigating directly to Gemini preferences for Personal Intelligence and switching off any linked software. Alternatively, users may adjust their main account menus.

For those looking to navigate the menus manually, the options are located deep within your primary account configurations. You must navigate to Data and privacy, then Personalization settings, select Manage Personalized Recommendations in Search Services, and finally go to Connected Content Apps. From there, users can sever links to Workspace and Google Photos, ensuring promotional tools never tap into personal files.

What other data practices are affected by these updates?

The core of the issue stems from Google's desire to have its products and services communicate seamlessly with one another, treating that massive collection of information as a primary advantage for its artificial intelligence initiatives. While apps like Gmail retain a protected status in certain data handling protocols, the introduction of features like Personal Intelligence creates more avenues for that information to escape its traditional boundaries. The more information individuals distribute throughout the Google network, the higher the corresponding confidentiality exposure.

A similar exception exists in how Google handles user interactions for artificial intelligence model training. While the company states it does not apply user records toward AI training, it does use user inputs and model outputs for that exact purpose. Because Gemini is linked to a multitude of programs and united via Personal Intelligence, those generated responses might incorporate identifiable personal details. Although Google attempts to filter that content from user activity controls to keep it out of training sets, it does not explicitly promise that it will always be successful in doing so.

Syed Aqeel — verified this story.