Google Updates Privacy Policy, Allows Targeted Ads Using Data Linked Through Personal Intelligence

Google has updated its privacy policy to clarify that personal data from Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos may be used to personalise advertisements when users choose to make that information available to other Google services that support personalised ads. The change, reportedly added on October 16, 2026, introduces an exception to the earlier policy wording that said data from these services would not be used for personalised advertising. Google’s Personal Intelligence feature allows users to connect their email accounts, photo libraries and other services to AI tools, including Gemini and Search, so the tools can offer more tailored responses and recommendations. Under the revised terms, data accessed by services such as Search may also be processed to personalise advertising, depending on users’ permissions and settings.

Google says advertisers will not receive direct access to users’ Gmail, Drive or Photos content, or personally identifiable information such as names and email addresses. The company also states that it will not personalise ads based on sensitive categories such as race, sexual orientation, religion or health. The policy update comes amid growing concerns about data privacy and how technology companies use personal information in AI-powered services. Users who do not want their connected data used for personalised ads can review which services are linked to Personal Intelligence, disconnect selected apps or disable personalised recommendations through Google’s Search personalisation settings. The exact impact depends on each user’s settings and the services they have connected.