Google Stops Scanning Kids’ Emails for Advertisers

Google, Inc. has changed its privacy policy and no longer will scan kids’ accounts set up through their schools to give data to advertisers and to place ads with emails and search results.

Previously, Google scanned both the Gmail accounts and Google Search for kids established through the Google Apps for Education program in order to place ads alongside the kids’ emails and the results of their searches.

Last year, Google stopped placing ads with Google Search results accessed through Google Apps for Education but retained the scanning function.  Now Google will remove the ability to place ads with the searches in its entirety from Google Search accessed via Google Apps for Education.

In addition, Google said will no longer scan kids emails to get information for advertisers.

Google said the change “means Google cannot collect or use student data in Apps for Education services for advertising purposes,” which it previously was able to do.  However, Google will continue to scan emails but will not place ads alongside the emails.

“Like many email providers, we do scanning in Gmail to keep our customers secure and to improve their product experience. In Gmail for Google Apps for Education, this includes virus and spam protection, spell check, relevant search results and features like Priority Inbox and auto-detection of calendar events,” Google notes in its privacy policy for the Apps for Education.  “Scanning to provide product features is done on all incoming emails and is 100% automated. We do NOT scan Google Apps for Education emails for advertising purposes.”