Google now uses your data to train AI by default: how to opt out
Google quietly changed its privacy settings, and user data is now used by default to train its AI models. The change is active automatically: if you have done nothing, your activity is already ending up in training datasets. To opt out, you need to open your account settings and switch off the relevant options manually.
AI-processed from TechCrunch; edited by Hamidun News
On July 6, 2026, Google activated the use of user data to train the company's AI models, and you have to turn it off manually in your privacy settings.
What exactly Google changed
The company updated the policy that determines which user activity data goes into training datasets for its AI models. The key point: the change is on by default. If you have not opened your settings and changed the option manually, your activity is already included.
The pattern is familiar. In 2024–2025, similar changes were made by Meta (for Facebook and Instagram), Adobe (for Creative Cloud) and X (formerly Twitter). Each time the reaction was predictable: a wave of outrage, a flood of "how to opt out" guides, regulatory scrutiny. Google is following the same playbook, only on a fundamentally different scale.
What data is affected
Google's ecosystem spans dozens of products: Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail, Chrome, Android. The updated policy could potentially cover:
- Search queries in Google Search
- Viewing history on YouTube
- Routes and location data in Google Maps
- Interactions with other services tied to your account
Meta knows what you post, but Google knows what you search for, what you watch, where you go and what you write in your email. The scale of data collection is not comparable to other platforms.
How to opt out of data sharing
Opting out is done through your Google account settings. Start with the section covering activity history and personalization, where the toggles controlling how your data is used are located.
One important caveat: opting out applies to future activity. Data Google collected before you switched it off generally stays in the training sets, as companies do not usually delete data retroactively. Separate account data management tools exist for deleting accumulated history.
What this means
Millions of Google users are training its AI models right now without realizing it. Each such change looks minor, but together they establish a lasting industry practice: enable by default, and let opt-out be an option only for those who find the right section in the settings. If you want to control your digital footprint, make it a habit to check your privacy settings regularly, and not only at Google.
*Meta has been designated an extremist organization and is banned in Russia.
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Key Questions Answered
What exactly Google changed?
The company updated the policy that determines which user activity data goes into training datasets for its AI models. The key point: the change is on by default. If you have not opened your settings and changed the option manually, your activity is already included. The pattern is familiar. In 2024–2025, similar changes were made by Meta (for Facebook and Instagram), Adobe (for Creative Cloud) and X (formerly Twitter). Each time the reaction was predictable: a wave of outrage, a flood of "how to opt out" guides, regulatory scrutiny. Google is following the same playbook, o
What data is affected?
Google's ecosystem spans dozens of products: Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail, Chrome, Android. The updated policy could potentially cover: Search queries in Google Search Viewing history on YouTube Routes and location data in Google Maps Interactions with other services tied to your account Meta knows what you post, but Google knows what you search for, what you watch, where you go and what you write in your email. The scale of data collection is not comparable to other platforms.
How to opt out of data sharing?
Opting out is done through your Google account settings. Start with the section covering activity history and personalization, where the toggles controlling how your data is used are located. One important caveat: opting out applies to future activity. Data Google collected before you switched it off generally stays in the training sets, as companies do not usually delete data retroactively. Separate account data management tools exist for deleting accumulated history.
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