Privacy policy change allows targeted ads

Google revised its privacy policy on October 16, 2026, to permit the use of Gmail, Photos, and Drive content for targeted advertising through its Personal Intelligence feature. This marks a reversal of a 2017 policy that had restricted such data usage under public pressure.

Personal Intelligence links AI to user data

Personal Intelligence is an AI feature launched in January 2026 for paying subscribers and later expanded to all Americans in March 2026. It connects Google's conversational assistant, Gemini, to user content in Gmail, Drive, and Photos, enabling features like finding emails, summarizing photos, or extracting document information.

Advertising targeting based on AI insights

According to one source, the AI's summaries and deductions from user content can influence advertising targeting. For example, a search for "trip to Italy" in emails might trigger ads for Roman hotels, while a photo of a car in Google Photos could activate car insurance ads.

Monetization of user-generated content

Google claims advertisers do not directly access user emails or photos but instead purchase refined behavioral profiles. This change could increase the value of user data by 30 to 40%, potentially costing individuals around 60 euros annually in indirect expenses.

Consumer spending influenced by personalized ads

A Stanford University study found that consumers exposed to personalized ads spend 15 to 25% more than those receiving generic ads. For a household spending 3,000 euros annually on purchases influenced by digital advertising, this could add 450 to 750 euros in extra costs.

European users protected by GDPR

European users are exempt from Personal Intelligence due to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which blocks the feature in the European Union, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. This legal protection creates a global imbalance, with some users using a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass the system.

Google's position weakened by privacy-focused alternatives

Google's policy shift has weakened its competitive position against privacy-respecting services such as ProtonMail, Tutanota, and StartMail. ProtonMail claims to have 100 million users in October 2026, compared to 70 million in January. Alternatives like Nextcloud or pCloud are also gaining traction by offering paid subscriptions instead of monetizing user data.

Steps to disable Personal Intelligence

To disable Personal Intelligence, users must first disable it in the "Data and Privacy" section of their Google account by unchecking "Use my Gmail and Photos data to improve my results." They must also disable "Ad Personalization" in My Ad Center by visiting adssettings.google.com.

Migrating to privacy-focused services yields savings

Switching to paid, privacy-focused services like ProtonMail Pro and pCloud can lead to significant savings. A ProtonMail Pro subscription costs 48 euros annually, and pCloud costs 50 euros, totaling 98 euros. This is significantly less than the 510 to 810 euros in induced overcharges from Google's targeted advertising, resulting in potential annual savings of 412 to 712 euros.