Google updated the privacy settings for its Search services in June, quietly opting users into having their uploaded photos, videos, and audio recordings used to train the company's AI models. The change was announced via a customer email rather than a prominent notice, and was framed as giving users more control over their saved history and personalized recommendations.
The new settings, called Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations, apply across Google Search and related services including Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. Images captured via Google Lens, voice recordings from Search Live and other voice searches, and audio from Google Translate's speaking practice can all be saved and used for AI training. Google confirmed in its email that "your saved media is also used to develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models and safety measures," and its help documentation notes history is used for "training generative AI models."
Users can opt out by adjusting their preferences on the Search Services History and Search Services Personalization pages. On the Search Services History page, the "Save Media" box can be unchecked separately from the "Search Services History" box, or both boxes can be unchecked. The shift reflects a broader industry trend of collecting user-uploaded data for AI training; Meta is cited as another example, training its AI on user images, media, and content from its AI glasses.