Google has updated its privacy policy to allow personal information from Gmail, Google Photos, and Drive to potentially be used for targeted advertising, raising new questions about how the company handles users’ private data.

The change, which took effect on October 16, introduces a significant exception to Google’s previous promise that it would not use content from these services to personalize advertisements.

As first spotted by Android Authority, the updated policy specifically affects users who connect their personal information to Google’s AI-powered services, including Search and Gemini.

    • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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      7 days ago

      I was thinking what a great reminder to take pictures with a camera not a phone.

      To listen to music with a music player that has physical memory not cloud.

      To keep things separate and private that you want to keep to yourself.

  • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    I already have a different email address. I just need an alternative to Google drive, and Google docs then, I can bail on Google forever. I’m so tired of Google doing evil and privacy invasive shit.

      • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        I use it for DnD a lot to take notes and share them with my group. Would be nice to find something with that functionality.

        • LazyBaby@lemmy.zip
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          6 days ago

          That’s tough because it means convincing everyone to switch to it, whatever it is. I’d give proton drive a whirl. If you’re mostly saving text documents, I don’t think the limitations of the free tiers should even be an issue.

  • w3dd1e@lemmy.zip
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    6 days ago

    This is also why I don’t trust Brave either. Any company that profits off an ad network and can change the rules whenever they want is dangerous. Even if Brave doesn’t do it now, doesn’t mean they won’t.

  • TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    7 days ago

    Wait… This is new? They didn’t do that already? Really? I though this was the whole business model which made Google so big.

  • myyass@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    So here’s an advertisement for an advertisement? Because that’s my gmail content.

  • Haley@lemmus.org
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    7 days ago

    How long until this gets used as a reason to gaslight people into using the memory leak browser? 🤔

  • antiR@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    Since it seems to be tied to Gemini settings, I think they were not able to design gemini integration in a way that separates data used by gemini from gmail and photos. Let’s say if google uses your gemini chats for targeted ads, if gemini mentions your emails, that will already be part of the data being tracked for ads. So, maybe just disable gemini chat history.

    • ultranaut@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Not able to seems less likely than chose not to. Google has plenty of resources to throw at the problem.

      • antiR@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        Afaik, the enterprise gemini has data protections so yes they can for those willing to pay enterprise level AI. This is a different case for consumer level AI.