MOUNTAIN VIEW / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – Google is under fire for using private email to improve its AI tools without users’ explicit consent. This practice has sparked a lawsuit over privacy violations and raises ethical questions. However, users can take steps to protect their data.
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Google recently introduced a change that allows the company to use its users’ private emails and data to improve its artificial intelligence (AI). This change particularly affects AI tools such as Smart Compose and Smart Reply in Gmail, which are intended to be improved by analyzing emails. But this practice often occurs without users’ knowledge or explicit consent, raising significant privacy concerns.
Security firm Malwarebytes pointed out in a blog post that Google may enable these features automatically without informing users. This not only affects Gmail, but also other Google services such as Chat, Meet and Drive. The settings that enable this are often enabled by default, meaning many users unknowingly provide their data.
This practice has already resulted in legal consequences. A class action lawsuit has been filed in California accusing Google of violating California’s privacy law. The lawsuit claims that Google does not provide users with a clear way to opt out of this data use, which is considered a violation of privacy.
However, for users who want to protect their data, there are ways to change these settings. On the Gmail website, users can disable smart feature settings by turning off the relevant options in the general settings. These functions can also be deactivated in the Gmail mobile app under the privacy settings.
The discussion about data protection when using AI technologies is not new, but the current situation at Google shows how important it is that companies handle their users’ data transparently. While AI tools undoubtedly offer useful functions, protecting user privacy must always be a priority.
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