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Is Google’s Gemini AI a Frightening Threat to Your Gmail Privacy?
Google has a new smart helper called Gemini. It is an Artificial Intelligence, or AI, that can do many tasks. Google is adding this helper to its products, including Android phones and search. This raises questions about your private information, especially in your Gmail account. Some email companies, like Tuta, have warned that Gemini might scan your emails.
This is a big topic because your email holds lots of personal details. It has conversations with family, bank information, and medical notes. Thinking about a computer program reading all of that can be a concern.
How AI Uses Your Gmail Data
When an AI like Gemini connects to your Gmail, it’s to help you. For example, you could ask it to find all emails about your upcoming trip. To do that, the AI must read your emails to find the right information. Google has used similar methods for years for features like Smart Reply, which suggests quick answers to your emails.
The connection with Gemini is different because it is a much more powerful AI. It learns from information to get better. By default, Google may use your conversations with Gemini to improve its services. This means parts of your data could be reviewed. Google states that personal content from Gmail is not used to train its public AI models without your consent. However, the data is still accessed when you use a connected feature.
You Have Control Over Your Data
You are not helpless in this situation. You have choices and can manage how your information is used. The key is to look at your Google Account settings. You can decide what Google is allowed to see and use. Taking a few minutes to check these settings gives you power over your privacy.
Here are steps you can take to manage your data:
- Check Your Gemini Apps Activity: Go to your Google Account. Find the “Gemini Apps Activity” setting. This is where Google saves your activity with Gemini. You can turn this setting off. If you turn it off, your past activity will be deleted, and future activity will not be saved.
- Review Your Google Settings: Your main Google Account dashboard has many privacy controls. Look for the “Data & privacy” section. Here you can see what is saved and you can delete old activity.
- Consider Alternatives: If you are still worried, you can use other services. You might switch to an email provider that focuses heavily on privacy, like Tuta or Proton Mail. For your phone, you could explore different operating systems, but this is a more technical step.