Google’s Gemini chatbot apps, part of its family of GenAI applications, may not be as private as users might assume. In a recent support document, Google shed light on its data collection practices concerning Gemini conversations, urging users to exercise caution when interacting with the chatbot. While Gemini conversations are supposedly disconnected from Google Accounts, human annotators are tasked with reviewing, labeling, and processing these conversations to enhance the service. Despite being disconnected, these conversations are stored for up to three years alongside related data such as language preferences, device usage, and location.
To address user concerns, Google offers some control over the retention of Gemini-related data. Users can disable Gemini Apps Activity in Google’s My Activity dashboard to prevent future conversations from being saved to their Google Account. Additionally, individual prompts and conversations can be deleted from the Gemini Apps Activity screen. However, even with Gemini Apps Activity turned off, conversations may still be stored for up to 72 hours for security and improvement purposes.
Google emphasizes the importance of avoiding the disclosure of confidential information or data that users wouldn’t want reviewers or Google to access for product improvement. While Google’s data collection and retention policies for GenAI applications align with industry standards, they underscore the ongoing challenge of balancing privacy concerns with the development of AI models that rely on user data for enhancement.
Similar to its competitors, Google faces scrutiny over its data practices, with regulators raising concerns about data protection and privacy. As GenAI tools become more prevalent, organizations are implementing limitations on data input into these tools, with some even banning GenAI altogether due to privacy risks. While enterprises may have access to GenAI products with stringent data retention policies, consumers may find themselves at a disadvantage in terms of data privacy.
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