A recent, subtle modification to Google’s privacy settings has expanded the company’s capacity to store a broader range of user data, specifically including media such as “images, files, and audio and video recordings.” This data is primarily utilized to enhance Google’s artificial intelligence models. Consequently, any media uploaded to Google’s Search services will be employed for AI training unless users actively choose to opt out.
This policy adjustment was introduced through a discreet update to Google’s Search services privacy settings, communicated to customers via email in June. The company effectively integrated users into this expanded AI training framework, presenting the change under the premise of offering greater control over saved history and personalized recommendations.
The update rolled out two distinct new settings: Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations. These options empower users to customize how their activity contributes to personalizing their Google experience and to define the retention period for their web and app activity.
The implications of this update extend beyond Google Search itself, encompassing a suite of other search-related services including Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News.
For example, if a user employs Google Lens to perform a visual search by capturing a photo, that image may now be retained for the purpose of AI training.
Similarly, using the newer Search Live feature for voice input within the Google app means those audio recordings could be stored, a policy that also applies to any other Google voice search. Furthermore, if Google Translate is used for language practice, the accompanying audio is also subject to storage.
These changes are indicative of a wider industry trend towards comprehensive data collection to advance AI services. Rather than exclusively relying on publicly scraped web data, companies like Google are increasingly gathering information that users upload or generate while interacting with their services. Meta serves as another prominent example of a consumer-facing tech giant engaging in this practice at scale, utilizing users’ images and media, alongside content recorded by its AI glasses, for training its AI.
Google has directly confirmed this media-training application. In its email to customers, the company stated: “Like your Search Services History, your saved media is also used to develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models and safety measures.”
This is further corroborated by Google’s help documentation, which notes that the company “uses your history to provide, develop, and improve its services (such as training generative AI models) and to protect Google, its users, and the public with the help of human reviewers.”
While some of this data storage is temporary and essential for product functionality, Google’s own language indicates that saved media can also be specifically retained for the long-term training of its AI models.
Fortunately, users retain a degree of control over these settings. Preferences can be adjusted on the Search Services History and Search Services Personalization pages. On the Search Services History page, users can deselect the “Save Media” option independently of the “Search Services History” box, or uncheck both. Options are also available to configure automatic data deletion after 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months.
From these pages, users can navigate to explore other privacy settings, including Web & App Activity, Timeline, YouTube History, and more.
Beyond saved media, Google also leverages search history, location data, and information from visited websites to personalize the user experience across its services, including the selection of advertisements displayed.
Prior to this update, users managed the retention of historical search data through the “Web & App Activity” settings. This functionality has now been bifurcated into two distinct settings: the existing Web & App Activity data and a new Search data setting, which is activated by default.
This separation means that any changes made to the Web & App Activity data retention settings, intended to opt out of data storage by Google, will no longer affect the data collected by Google Search services, as it is now governed by a separate, default-on option.
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