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EVENT / TOPICHistorical

Google updates privacy policy: Gmail and Photos data may be used for advertising

3 reports3 sources10/24/2026 updated

Current overview (not historical)

AI overview

Google updated its privacy policy to state that Gmail and Google Photos data may be used to support personalized advertising across other Google services, unless users opt out. The new policy removes previous explicit restrictions that barred Gmail and Drive content from being used for ad targeting. Google states that data may be used for advertising when users share information with Google AI products. Users can manage cross-service data sharing settings to control their experience.

Written with AI from the reporting · updated 10/24/2026

Latest developmentOct 25, 01:01
Google updates privacy policy allowing Gmail, Drive, and Photos data to personalize ads when linked to AI features
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  1. 1Unclassified fact stationOct 16, 00:00recorded Oct 24, 01:14revised

    Google updated privacy policy to allow data sharing for pers

    Read original source ↗ The Verge · AIReplay this moment in the explorer
    Evidence & revisions · 3 source records
    Subject：
    google
    Action：
    updated privacy policy
    Object：
    Gmail and Google Photos data for targeted ads
    Occurred (fact side)：
    Oct 16, 00:00
    The Verge · AI ↗Report pageRevision 2 · currently revised
    Published (valid side)：
    Oct 24, 00:52
    First seen (known side)：
    Oct 24, 01:14
    Ars Technica · AI ↗Report pageOriginal / first version
    Published (valid side)：
    Oct 24, 04:19
    First seen (known side)：
    Oct 24, 05:18
    Decrypt ↗Report pageRevision 2 · currently revised
    Published (valid side)：
    Oct 25, 01:01
    First seen (known side)：
    Oct 25, 01:05
    Fact stationRevised

    Copy may have been revised later; time replay is bounded. Layer labels group reading only, not causation between layers.

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Oct 25
  1. DecryptSource report revised
    Google updates privacy policy allowing Gmail, Drive, and Photos data to personalize ads when linked to AI features

    Report first recorded Oct 25, 01:05

    Effective Oct. 16, Google revised its privacy policy, adding a conditional clause stating that content from Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos can personalize ads only if users choose to make this data available to other Google services supporting personalized ads. This linkage is tied to Personal Intelligence, which enables AI Mode in Search and Gemini to use connected app data for tailored responses; however, this data can also inform ad targeting. By default, content is not used for ad targeting, advertisers do not see underlying content, and users can opt out via Connected Content apps settings in their Google Account’s Data & privacy settings.

    Read original source ↗
Oct 24
  1. Ars Technica · AI
    Google updates privacy policy, opens door to using Gmail data for ads

    Report first recorded Oct 24, 05:18

    Google updated its privacy policy on October 16, removing a clear limit that previously prohibited using Gmail, Drive, and Photos content for ad personalization. The change allows Google to use sensitive user data for ads when shared with other Google services via the Personal Intelligence feature, released earlier in 2026.

    Read original source ↗
  2. The Verge · AISource report revised
    Now Google says it might use your Gmail and Google Photos data to target ads

    Report first recorded Oct 24, 01:14

    Read original source ↗

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