Google has decided to stop scanning emails received by Gmail users, its long-standing practice that allowed the company to deliver targeted ads within Gmail itself. The policy change, announced by the company on Friday, will end the practice the tech major had embraced since it launched Gmail in 2004, AP reported.
The practice had stirred privacy worries and raised concerns among many users. Google had been scanning through what Gmail users were discussing and then showing ads connected to some of the topics.
The move comes at a time when Google is trying to turn the sale of cloud-based services, such as Gmail, to corporate customers into its next big business. Google used to scan the emails of only those who used the free version of Gmail, not the paid-for service sold to companies, said Diane Greene, head of the company’s cloud business.
Google still plans to show ads within Gmail, but this time, the company’s algorithms will rely on other signals to determine which ads are most likely to appeal to each of its 1.2 billion Gmail users rather than scanning through email content.
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