I realise that Google places ads in the native Gmail environment. However, when using a third party front end to embed the Google services, how does the company make money off that? When I use Thunderbird to access Gmail or the Google Calendar or when I map my Google Drive to the file explorer, how can Google profit from this kind of use?
Remember: if you’re not paying for a service, you’re the product.
They harvest your data for a variety of reasons. 1) they pair your data with your broader Google profile (including search results, ad clicks, website views, etc) to better deliver targeted ads. 2) they train their AI (although that’s an indirect revenue stream, and much more recent).
slazer2au@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Metadata.
It knows who you are talking to from the to and from fields, possibly the context based on the subject, if the do scan the email contents then they will know what you are interested in.
Gather that info with your search history it can sell targeted advertising.
jjpamsterdam@feddit.org 3 days ago
So, it’s basically a loss leader in this scenario to feed other sevices like the ad network?
slazer2au@lemmy.world 3 days ago
For personal Gmail yes.
kersploosh@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Yes. About 75% of Google’s revenue is from ads. Most of their free products exist to feed the advertising business in one way or another.
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 3 days ago
They’re scanning the email contents.
and your google drive contents.
and everything else you send through their services.
markvandijk@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
That’s why I am no longer using their services like Gmail and Google Maps. I jumped tot alternatives, much recommended.