Google to stop scanning Gmail for ads personalization

Google, Alphabet Inc.'s leading subsidiary, said Friday it has decided to stop searching Gmail as input for ads personalization.

"Consumer Gmail content will not be used or scanned for any ads personalization" later this year, the technology company based in Menlo Park, Northern California, said in a posting on its website.

"This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products," it noted. "Ads shown are based on users' settings. Users can change those settings at any time, including disabling ads personalization. G Suite will continue to be ad free."

Available in 72 languages, Gmail was launched in 2004 as free, advertising-supported email service with over 1 billion users worldwide.