The policy authorizes disclosure of personal information to law enforcement and government authorities based on a good-faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with legal process, enforce terms of service, address fraud or security issues, or protect safety. Google states it publishes a Transparency Report disclosing aggregate information about government data requests.
This analysis describes what Google's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision establishes the standard under which Google discloses personal information in response to government and law enforcement requests, using a good-faith necessity standard. The policy states that Google's legal team reviews requests and frequently pushes back on overbroad or procedurally deficient requests, and that aggregate request data is published in a Transparency Report.
The updated policy establishes a new opt-in mechanism that allows Google services like Search and Gemini to access data from other Google services you use, including Gmail, Google Photos, and Drive, to personalize your experience and show you targeted ads. Previously, Google's policy stated it did not show personalized ads based on content from these services. Under the revised terms, if you choose to enable this feature, Google may use data from Gmail, Photos, and Drive to personalize ads and content, including through a feature called Personal Intelligence. You can manage this through your Google account settings to control which services can access data from other services.
View change record →Google's Privacy Policy now gives an effective date of October 1, 2026, replacing May 26, 2026. One passage changed. It covers information Google collects when you are not signed in, which it stores with identifiers tied to your browser, app or device. The policy previously said this lets Google show more relevant search results or ads “based on your activity”; it now says “based on your activity across devices.”
View change record →The updated policy explicitly discloses that Google collects data when you are signed out and stores it with unique identifiers tied to your browser, application, or device. The policy also expands the types of activity it collects to include 'media (like images, files, audio and video) from your interactions,' in addition to previously listed categories. The revised language reorganizes privacy controls into 'Search Services History' and 'Web & App Activity,' and clarifies that depending on your settings, activity from services like Search, Maps, and Shopping is saved as history to your Google Account. You can manage these settings through your Google Account privacy controls, including the ability to turn off Web & App Activity or adjust Personalized Recommendations in Search services.
View change record →⚠ Personal information may be disclosed to law enforcement or government authorities under the good-faith necessity standard described in the policy without prior user notification where applicable law or the policy's exceptions apply.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Disclosure for Legal Reasons and Government Requests and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"We will share personal information outside of Google if we have a good-faith belief that disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to: Respond to any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request. We share information about the number and type of requests we receive from governments in our Transparency Report. Enforce applicable Terms of Service, including investigation of potential violations. Detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, or technical issues. Protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of Google, our users, or the public.Excerpt from Google's Privacy Policy
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages the Electronic Communications Privacy Act for U.S.
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This provision establishes the standard under which Google discloses personal information in response to government and law enforcement requests, using a good-faith necessity standard. The policy states that Google's legal team reviews requests and frequently pushes back on overbroad or procedurally deficient requests, and that aggregate request data is published in a Transparency Report.
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