# Updated Google privacy policy says your Gmail might be used for advertising

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/updated-google-privacy-policy-says-your-gmail-might-be-used-for-advertising/
- Published: 2026-10-23T20:19:55+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:12:16+00:00
- Original publisher: Ars Technica
- Original article: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/updated-google-privacy-policy-says-your-gmail-might-be-used-for-advertising/
- Topics: Business, Companies, Government, Politics, Software, Technology

## Key points

- Google’s policy now allows connected app data to inform ad personalisation.
- Personal Intelligence links data to AI search features that may show sponsored content.
- Google says the feature is opt-in and sensitive information remains excluded.

## Summary

Google’s updated privacy policy appears to allow information from Gmail, Photos and other apps to influence personalised advertising when users connect those services to Google’s AI tools. The change matters because it narrows the practical protection users may have assumed applied to their personal data across Google’s products.

Google updated the policy on 16 October, removing wording that explicitly ruled out ads based on content from Drive, Gmail or Photos. Its Personal Intelligence feature, introduced in early 2026, can connect app data to Gemini and AI search features, where sponsored content may appear. Google says the feature is opt-in, ads are not based directly on inboxes or photo libraries, and sensitive information is not used to tailor ads; it also says the clarification does not change how it handles data with advertising partners.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.