Google adds user-controlled ad path for Gmail, Drive and Photos data

Google revised its privacy policy effective October 16, creating a user-controlled route for some Gmail, Drive or Google Photos data to inform personalized ads. The policy now says users may let certain Google services access that data.

People may choose to let services including Search or Gemini Apps access data from other Google services for a more personalized experience, subject to the accessing service’s policies and settings. Search is the policy’s advertising example: It may process some data a user allows it to access to personalize content, including ads. The cited wording does not say Gemini Apps themselves use connected Gmail, Drive or Photos data for personalized ads.

That language narrows what had been a categorical restriction. Google’s October 1 policy said it did not show personalized ads based on content from Drive, Gmail or Photos. The October 16 comparison adds an exception when a user chooses to make data from those services available to other Google services that support personalized ads.

Personalized advertising remains settings-dependent under the policy. Google directs users to My Ad Center, where they can control the information used for ads and turn certain advertising services on or off. The policy does not specify the default state, rollout schedule, eligible account types, exact product controls or data fields covered by each Search or Gemini Apps connection.

Google also says it does not show personalized ads based on sensitive categories such as race, religion, sexual orientation or health. It says it does not share personally identifying information such as a name or email address with advertisers unless the user asks it to.