Gmail and Photos data can now shape your search ads
A privacy policy update effective October 16 allows Google to use content from user files for ad targeting if Personal Intelligence is enabled.
By Pedro Barnes ·
A change to Google's privacy policy, effective since October 16, allows content from Gmail, Drive, and Photos to influence the advertisements users see. This shift removes a previous restriction that stated personalized ads would not be based on data from these specific services.
The updated language includes a new exception clause. It states that the rule does not apply if a user chooses to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads. This change is linked to the Personal Intelligence feature, which began rolling out in beta earlier in 2026.
Personal Intelligence allows the Gemini model to access data shared across Google apps, including Gmail, Photos, Search, and Drive. The policy explains that users can permit services like Search or Gemini to access data from other apps in exchange for a more tailored experience. Search may then process this connected data to personalize content and ads.
The change was first identified by Android Authority and subsequently reported by The Verge. Previously, the policy explicitly stated that personalized ads were not based on user content from Drive, Gmail, or Photos. The new wording makes that statement conditional based on user settings.
Google has not stated that it is sharing the actual contents of inboxes or photo libraries with advertisers. Instead, the revised language permits ads to be targeted using connected content within the Search platform. The company's stance on personally identifying information remains unchanged.
The policy continues to state that advertisers will not see details such as a user's name or email address without explicit permission. This language regarding identifying details is identical to previous versions of the document.
Personal Intelligence remains an opt-in feature. Users can adjust these settings by navigating to the Data & privacy section of the My Account page. From there, they should select Personalization settings and then choose Manage Personalized Recommendations in Search services. A Turn off button on this page disables personalized recommendations entirely.
