Google users are being warned that they’re secretly opted in to a feature that allows the tech giant to peek through their emails.But is this actually the case? An electronics design engineer posted on X recently that Gmail users are allowing Google to access their email data without realising.Dave Jones said this could include your personal and work messages as well as uploaded attachments.
This information is used to train Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Gemini, which hoovers up information to learn new skills.Jones, who runs the world’s biggest engineering blog, said the function is part of Gmail’s ‘Smart Features’.The AI-powered tools automatically categorise emails, create calendar events, suggest replies and sum up shopping order information.
Jones said: ‘You have to manually turn off Smart Features in the Settings menu in TWO locations.’ How to turn off Smart Features In Settings under Smart Features, the mode can be switched on and off.‘When you turn this setting on, you agree to let Gmail, Chat and Meet use your content and activity in these products to provide smart features and personalise your experience.’ Jones added that underneath the tick box, the tools can be further toggled under the ‘Google Workspace smart features’ section.Clicking this takes you to a secondary pop-up – opting out also turns off the ‘Ask Gemini’ tool that sums up content and personalises search results.
If you’re on mobile, you can change these settings by going to your settings at the bottom of the inbox menu and selecting: ‘Data privacy’.Doing so, however, means you lose out on a lot of features, such as emails being filtered into ‘promotional’ and ‘social inboxes’.Other tools, like spell and grammar check and autocorrect, are also tied to the Gemini opt-in.
What has Google said? When Metro approached Alphabet, which owns Google, a spokesperson said users don’t exactly have to worry.They said: ‘These reports are misleading – we have not changed anyone’s settings, Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years, and we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.‘Lastly, we are always transparent and clear if we make changes to our terms of service and policies.’ More Trending 'See-through bikini loophole meant Grok AI generated images of my genitalia' Tech 24 hours ago By Luke Alsford Data watchdog contacts Elon Musk's X after Grok 'undressed hundreds of people' Super-strong robots with human-like hands to start working in Hyundai factories Flying taxis that can do a 22-mile journey in 10 minutes to take off this year The company’s terms of service do not say Google can pry open people’s email inboxes – users keep ownership of their email content.
A lawsuit made against Google in November alleges that the search engine monolith ‘spies on users by default’.Plaintiff Thomas Thele claims the Gemini AI programme, introduced the month before, was enabled for all popular services without user consent.The complaint claims the programme tracks personal communications, violating privacy laws.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] more stories like this, check our news page.MORE: The ‘cosy’ European city that’s home to the ‘world’s most beautiful bookshop’ MORE: ‘Trolls asked Elon Musk’s Grok AI to strip my clothes off – and to my horror it did’ MORE: Google now lets you chose favourite news sites – here’s how to add Metro Comments Add as preferred source News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy
HomeNewsTech
Related topics
Google
'Trolls asked Elon Musk's Grok AI to undress me - and to my horror it did'
Tech
3 days ago
By Josh Milton
You might finally be able to change your embarrassing old email address
Tech
2 days ago
By Jen Mills
