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
Activity data collected across services can be used to build a profile of user behaviour, informing recommendations and other personalised features.
Interpretive note: The excerpt is truncated after 'Terms you search f', so the complete list of activity types collected cannot be confirmed from this excerpt alone.
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 →Your activity across YouTube Ads services, including search terms and videos watched, is collected and may be used to personalise your experience.
How other platforms handle this
when you browse our website or use our other online Products, we collect information about your online activity and interaction with our Products, such as access times, webpages or content viewed, mouse movements...
When you create User Content, we may upload or import it to the Platform before you save or post the User Content (also known as pre-uploading).
We receive information about you when you or your administrator integrate or link a third-party service with our Services. For example, if you create an account or log into the Services using your Google credentials, we receive your name and email address...
"We collect information about your activity in our services, which we use to do things like recommend a YouTube video you might like. The activity information we collect may include: Terms you search f...Excerpt from Google's Privacy Policy
Netflix updated its Privacy Statement on April 18, 2026, disclosing voice recording collection and expanded household ad profiling for the first time.
Google's Privacy Policy covers Search, Gmail, YouTube, Maps, and every site running Google Analytics. Here is what it actually authorizes.
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Activity data collected across services can be used to build a profile of user behaviour, informing recommendations and other personalised features.
Your activity across YouTube Ads services, including search terms and videos watched, is collected and may be used to personalise your experience.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 286 platforms. See the full comparison.
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