Google stops scanning Gmail messages for personalized ads

Google has announced that it will stop scanning emails in the consumer version of Gmail in the course of this year. The search giant did this to match ads to users’ profiles.

Google writes that it wants to bring its policy “in line with the policies of its other products.” For example, it says not to search the content of emails in the business version of Gmails. After the change, ads will only be shown based on users’ preferences, according to the search giant.

The company does not provide any further reasons for its decision. According to Bloomberg, Google wants to remove the confusion among customers, which is because there is a difference in policy between the business and the consumer version. For example, Google CEO Diane Green explains that there must be ‘unambiguous clarity’ by removing the distinction. Ads will still be shown within Gmail, according to the news agency.

In 2014, the company stopped scanning emails in Gmail for businesses and governments. Even at the time, it did not explain the decision, it seemed then that the change was prompted by a lawsuit. Shortly before that, the company had already stopped scanning in Gmail for students. According to Google, the email service now has more than 1.2 billion users.