Google has updated its privacy policy, introducing new considerations for how information from Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos may be used to personalize advertisements. For REALTORS® who regularly handle confidential client information, understanding these changes and reviewing account settings is an important step toward protecting privacy.
Effective October 16, 2026, Google's updated privacy policy clarifies that information from certain Google services may contribute to personalized advertising when users choose to connect those services to Google's AI-powered features.
The change has raised questions about whether emails, documents, and photos could influence the advertisements users see. However, an important distinction is that Google is not automatically using everyone's Gmail messages or Google Photos to target advertisements. The change primarily concerns users who opt into connected AI experiences, including Google's Personal Intelligence features.
What Changed in Google's Privacy Policy?
Previously, Google's privacy policy stated that content from Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos would not be used to personalize advertisements.
The updated policy introduces an exception: If users choose to make information from these services available to other Google services that support personalized advertising, that information may influence the ads they see.
For example, Google's Personal Intelligence features can connect information from Gmail or Google Photos to AI-powered Search experiences. These connections allow Google to provide recommendations based on a user's emails, reservations, preferences, and other personal information.
Under the updated policy, information processed through these connections may also contribute to advertising personalization.
Important: This does not mean Google automatically uses everyone's private emails, photos, or documents for advertising. The exception applies when users enable eligible connections, and the information used depends on the services and settings involved.
Could Google Use Your Information to Train AI for Other People?
Yes. Google confirms that certain information processed through connected services may be used to improve generative AI models that serve other users, not just the account holder.
According to Google's Search Help documentation, connecting content apps to Search services may allow Google to use information from those connections to improve its services, including training generative AI models.
Google distinguishes between directly training models on entire private libraries and training them on information generated through AI interactions.
- Original Content: Google states that Search services do not directly train generative AI models on an entire Gmail inbox, Google Drive, or Google Photos library.
- Summaries and Excerpts: When AI features access connected content, relevant summaries, excerpts, and information derived from emails, files, or photos may be used to train AI models.
- AI Interactions: Questions, responses, recommendations, and related activity may also be used to improve Google's AI services.
- Human Review: Some interactions and processed information may be reviewed by trained personnel to improve AI accuracy and safety.
Google states that it takes steps to reduce personal information before using these interactions for training or human review. However, it also acknowledges that summaries of particularly short or relevant documents could contain most or all of the original content.
This does not mean other Google users can directly access your private emails or documents. However, information derived from connected content may contribute to improving AI systems used by others.
Learn How Google Uses Connected Content in Search
How to Review and Update Your Google Privacy Settings
Google provides controls that allow users to review connected services and limit how personal information is used for personalization.
Google periodically changes account menus, so the exact wording or location of these settings may vary by device, account type, and feature availability.
Step 1: Open Your Google Account
- Open the Google app or visit Google Account Settings.
- Select your profile photo.
- Choose Settings.
Step 2: Review Connected Content
You can adjust your desired settings:
- On (default for most settings)
- Turn Off
- Turn off and delete activity
- Find the Search Personalization settings within Data & privacy.
- Personalization Recommendations
- Search Services History
- Other Google Services History
- Search Services History
- Timeline
- Play History
- YouTube History
- Web & App Activity
- Likes & Preferences
- Google Account Info
- Select Personalized Recommendations in Search Services or the corresponding management option.
- Locate Other Personalization Settings and Connected Content Apps
Review which Google services are connected, including Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Workspace.
Turn off connections you do not want used for these personalized experiences.
These settings control whether supported Google services can share information with eligible AI-powered features.
Step 3: Review Gemini's Personal Intelligence Settings
If you use Gemini, open its settings and look for Personal Intelligence and Connected Apps.
Review which services Gemini can access and disconnect any that contain confidential information you do not want included in AI-powered personalization.
Google notes that Personal Intelligence is optional and that availability differs between personal Google accounts and managed Google Workspace accounts.
Step 4: Review Personalized Advertising
Visit Google My Ad Center to review or turn off personalized advertising.
Disabling personalized advertising is an additional privacy measure, but it does not automatically disconnect Google services from Gemini or remove previously stored activity.
Step 5: Check Your Search Activity
Review your activity through Google My Activity.
Disconnecting a service does not necessarily erase information already saved in your Google activity history. Review available deletion and activity-retention controls if you want to limit previously stored information.
Additional Precautions for REALTORS®
Beyond reviewing Google's personalization settings, REALTORS® should consider a few additional practices to safeguard client information.
- Keep business and personal information separate. When possible, use brokerage-approved systems for transaction communications and document storage.
- Be selective with AI connections. Before enabling an AI assistant to access Gmail or Drive, understand what information it can retrieve and how that information may be processed.
- Review third-party access. Periodically check which outside applications have permission to access your Google Account.
- Follow brokerage data-security policies. Confirm that any AI tools or cloud services used for business are consistent with brokerage requirements and applicable confidentiality obligations.
REALTORS® using an organization-managed Google Workspace account should also consult their administrator before changing settings. Some features may be unavailable or controlled at the organizational level.
Take a Few Minutes to Check Your Settings
Google's October 16 policy update does not mean every Gmail account is suddenly sharing private messages with advertisers. However, it does introduce an additional consideration for users who connect their Google information to AI-powered personalization tools.
For REALTORS®, the recommended action is simple: review your Google Account settings, understand which services are connected, and disable access that is unnecessary for your business.
As AI becomes more integrated into everyday technology, regularly reviewing privacy permissions is an important part of protecting client information and maintaining professional trust.
Additional Resources
Google Privacy Policy, effective October 16, 2026
Forbes: Google Changed Gmail on October 16
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