Keeping you safe online means protecting your information and respecting your privacy. That's why, in every product that we make, we focus on keeping your information secure, treating it responsibly and keeping you in control. Our teams work every day to make Google products safe no matter what you're doing – browsing the web, managing your inbox or getting directions.
Your information is protected by world-class security. You can always control your privacy settings in your Google Account.
- For general information about privacy on Chat, keep reading this article.
- For more about privacy tools, visit the Google Safety Centre.
- For details about privacy in work and school accounts, use the Google Workspace security resources.
A more helpful and personalised experience for you
When you use Google Chat, we process some data to offer you better experiences in the product. Your information stays secure. You can always control your privacy settings in your Google Account.
Your content is stored securely
When you send messages and attachments, including photos, videos or audios in Chat, your content is stored securely in our world-class data centres Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. If you choose to access these files offline, we may store this info on your device.
Your Google Account comes with built-in security designed to detect and block threats like spam, phishing and malware. Your activity is stored using strong industry standards and practices.
In Chat, you can block and report people or spaces. Learn how to block and report someone.
Your name and email address help sync your data and keep you updated
To help you sign in, show your name with your messages and inform you of service changes, we use your name and email address.
To make it easy for you to send messages, we use your contacts.
Your information helps you create and manage your Google Account
To create a brand new Google Account, we collect your name and phone number. When you manage your Google Account, you can choose to provide your physical address, upload your contacts or add a profile photo.
Chat uses data to improve your experience
To provide you with features like Smart Reply and spam detection, as well as a smarter product experience, and to keep you safe, we use Chat data.
To improve Chat's performance and reliability, and to help with troubleshooting in case of issues while you use Chat, we collect performance data and crash analytics. We also use this info to help prevent abuse of our services and for analysis.
Sync your services with your location
To understand how your experience of the product may relate to geography, and to keep your account secure, we use some location info. We can send security alerts if we notice that you have signed in from a new location.
Chat doesn't use your content for advertising
We don't use information in apps where you primarily store personal content, including Chat, for advertising purposes, full stop.
Stay in control of your content with easy-to-use settings
You decide what content is shared and with whom
The content that you share in Chat is private to you and those that you chat with. Learn how to send or share files in Chat.
Google respects your privacy. We access your private content only when we have your permission or are required to by law. With the Google Transparency Report, we share data about how the policies and actions of governments and corporations affect privacy, security and access to information.
If you have a work or school account, your organisation can review logs of actions taken by Google when accessing content. Learn how to view logs with Access Transparency. Learn how Google protects your organisation's security and privacy.
Smart features and personalisation
With Chat, you decide whether or not you want your Chat data to be used to personalise your Chat experience and provide smart features, like Smart Reply. Learn more about smart features and personalisation controls.
You can also decide whether or not you want your Chat data to be used to personalise your experience and provide smart features in Google products that are integrated with Chat, like displaying restaurant reservations in Google Maps or reminders from Google Assistant that a bill is due. Control smart features and personalisation.
It's easy to view and control your data
With the Google Account dashboard, you can see an overview of the Google products that you use and the things that you store, like your emails and photos. And with My Activity, it's easy to see or delete data collected from your activity across Google services, including things that you've searched, viewed and watched. Learn how to view and control activity in your Google Account.
Control your search history
To save you time when you search in Chat by showing your recent searches that you've made there, we store those search queries.
To review or manage your Chat search history, use My Activity.
You can take your data with you
Everyone should have access to the content that they've shared with us, at any time and for any reason. That's why we created Download your data, so that you can download your photos, emails, contacts and bookmarks. It's your choice to make a copy of your data, back it up or even move it to another service.
You are always in control of the data saved to your Google Account. Learn how to download your data.
If you have a work or school account, your organisation can choose to download your data and to limit you from downloading it. Learn how an organisation can export its data.