Google Update: Can Gmail, Photos and Drive Be Used for Targeted Ads?

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Google Update: Can Gmail, Photos and Drive Be Used for Targeted Ads.

Google’s privacy policy opens a window on Gmail, Photos and Drive. For everyone who uses these services in everyday life, one question is crucial: According to the updated wording of the policy, which personal information can be considered when selecting targeted ads? Dexerto names Gmail, Google Photos and Drive. Ars Technica focuses primarily on Gmail and refers to “Personal Intelligence.”

The two reports do not contradict each other. They emphasize different aspects: Dexerto groups three Google services together, while Ars Technica focuses mainly on Gmail and the Personal Intelligence option.

The change can therefore be classified as a possible expansion of data use for advertising. How strongly it affects an individual account has not yet been substantiated.

The Change Is Confirmed — The Documented Scope Remains Limited

Both sources confirm an update to Google’s privacy policy. Dexerto describes it as follows:

“Google has updated its privacy policy to enable the potential use of personal information from Gmail, Google Photos and Drive for targeted advertising.”

The word “potentially” is crucial. The policy opens up that possibility, but does not prove that Google is already serving a specific, newly personalized ad for every account. The reports also do not specify which accounts the change applies to, whether the option is active by default or what deactivating it would mean.

The strongest point of overlap between the reports is Gmail. Ars Technica also reports that the updated policy provides for the possibility that Gmail could be used for advertising. This is therefore not merely a headline issue: Both sources name Gmail as a relevant area covered by the changed privacy policy.

Why Personal Intelligence Shapes Ars Technica’s Report

When “Personal Intelligence” is switched on, Ars Technica identifies a specific connection between using data and selecting ads:

“Turning on Personal Intelligence gives the company more data for selecting ads.”

This puts the option at the center of the privacy question. According to the source, activating the option makes more data available for selecting ads. The provided report excerpt does not explain how many data points are added, which services or content are affected or how Google processes them in practice.

Personal Intelligence is therefore the specifically named link between your Google account and the changed policy. The sober conclusion is sufficient for context: The option makes more data available for selecting ads. Any broader claim about specific content or individual ads would not be supported by the sources.

Why the Reports Show Different Excerpts

Dexerto names three affected Google areas: Gmail, Google Photos and Drive. Ars Technica’s headline mentions Gmail, while its excerpt foregrounds Personal Intelligence. This is a difference in emphasis, not a substantive contradiction.

For practical context, that means Gmail is the common denominator. The other two services add to the picture provided by Dexerto. Anyone reading only Ars Technica’s headline therefore does not realize that Dexerto’s report includes several services.

What This Means for Everyday Life — and What It Does Not

If you use Gmail, Google Photos or Drive, the privacy policy becomes more relevant to you. At the same time, it would be premature to infer from the reports that advertising has already been changed. The clearly separated claims offer some help:

Check Personal Intelligence Carefully

Ars Technica provides the most concrete clue for your assessment: According to the source, turning on Personal Intelligence gives Google more data for selecting ads. Therefore, review the current policy and the setting yourself before enabling it.

Look Beyond Gmail

Dexerto explicitly names Gmail, Google Photos and Drive. If you focus only on your inbox, you leave out part of the scope identified by Dexerto. In particular, you should include Photos and Drive in your own review.

Do Not Confuse the Policy With a Specific New Ad

The reports document a changed policy and the resulting possibility of using data to select ads. They provide no example of a specific new ad in your account. This distinction is important: Technically possible data use is not proof that advertising has already been changed accordingly for every user.

Conclusion: The Change Is Relevant, but the Evidence Remains Limited

According to both reports, Google’s updated privacy policy opens up the possibility of using personal information for targeted advertising. Both reports mention Gmail. Dexerto includes Google Photos and Drive, while Ars Technica links the activation of Personal Intelligence to additional data for selecting ads.

What the sources do not substantiate is equally revealing: They name no specific new ad, do not fully explain the data points affected and do not state how the change is implemented for individual accounts. The sober assessment is therefore: The privacy issue is real, but the practical effect must be checked separately for your own account.