Google will no longer scan your emails for targeted ads

Google will no longer be scanning your emails for targeted ads tracking, the firm revealed earlier this week. In a move to bring the Google free email services in line with the paid G Suite service, you’ll no longer get your emails used in building of ads profile. Instead, Google will now default to the tracking methods it uses for regular products.

G Suite’s Gmail is already not used as input for ads personalization, and Google has decided to follow suit later this year in our free consumer Gmail service. Consumer Gmail content will not be used or scanned for any ads personalization after this change. This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products. Ads shown are based on users’ settings. Users can change those settings at any time, including disabling ads personalization. G Suite will continue to be ad free

It’s worth noting that Google likely has enough data to build a targeted ads profile without scanning your email which – for most consumers – are full of junk data in any case.  Instead, your searches and watched videos can be used to build an ad profile on you — though you can opt out of this easily with google’s privacy settings.

Google will still be scanning your email for spam, like Microsoft, Yahoo and any other email provider with a remotely decent spam filter does, but at least you now have more control over your data.