Google updates privacy policy, AI personalisation data may be used for ads

On 16 October 2026, Google updated its privacy policy, adding an exception to its previous commitment not to use Drive, Gmail and Google Photos data for personalised ads: if users choose to make that data available to other Google services that support personalised ads, the content may be used for ad targeting. The Verge reported the change on 24 October, noting that Gmail and Google Photos data could therefore be used for ad targeting. Ars Technica reported the same day that Google removed the wording stating it would not show personalised ads based on Drive, Gmail and Photos content, replacing it with wording that sensitive data may be used for ads when shared with other Google services. Ars Technica also noted that Personal Intelligence, launched by Google in early 2026, lets users hand data from multiple apps to Google AI products, providing a mechanism for using data across services. So far the story remains at the stage of policy text updates and media disclosure, with the reports not mentioning further comment from Google or user reaction.

Written by AI from the reports · updated 20 min ago