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Published Oct 23, 2026, 4:26 PM EDT

Jon is a seasoned journalist who has written definitive coverage of consumer tech at publications like Engadget, Android Authority, and BetaKit. He's an expert on making tech accessible ranging from mobile and PCs to emerging platforms like wearables. When he's not writing, he's going on adventures with ihis family and is an avid photographer.

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You might have suspected that Google was using personal app data for more than your own tasks , but now you have confirmation. Google has updated its privacy policy with an exception that lets its services use your shared content for personalized ads when you connect them to apps like Drive, Gmail, and Photos.

The revised policy notes that Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos don't serve these targeted ads by default. They also won't share personally identifying info without your permission.…