Is Your Data Safe with Google Gemini? What you need to know.

Formerly known as Google Bard, Gemini is a cutting-edge AI model developed by Google designed to empower users and SMEs in crafting content across diverse formats, including text, images, audio, and video. The tech giant has recently introduced Gemini Advanced, a premium version seamlessly integrated into the AI Premium plan within the Google One subscription service. Distinguishing itself with an advanced capability to grasp nuanced instructions, Gemini Advanced facilitates users in delivering more extensive prompts while ensuring a heightened level of contextual comprehension. 

Google Gemini and Bard are two different Google technologies with different functions and application areas. While Google Gemini functions as a platform, facilitating content creation and enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) for businesses, offering a range of tools for content creation and optimization, Bard takes a different path. Bard is a chatbot service grounded in the LaMDA model, allowing companies to leverage conversational AI for personalized customer interactions.

Related Blog: What is Google Bard? ChatGPT’s New Rival in Conversational AI

Much like ChatGPT, Google Bard is an invaluable resource, serving as a brainstorming and collaborative tool that allows users to craft essays, articles, emails, stories, and even poems. Google has also taken Bard to new heights by enhancing its capabilities to aid in coding and debugging tasks. However, although Bard's text output is remarkable, Google advises users to consider the tool as a starting point rather than a final product as the company continues to improve its AI chatbot.

Google stores user data from Gemini Apps in the user's Google Account for a default period of 18 months. Users have the option to limit data retention to either 3 or 36 months. If you prefer to use Gemini Apps without saving conversations in your Google Account, you can disable the Gemini Apps activity. However, according to Gemini's privacy notice: “Even if this feature is turned off, conversations will still be stored in your account for up to 72 hours to facilitate service delivery and process feedback. This activity will not appear in your Gemini Apps activity.”

Google retains user data reviewed and annotated by human reviewers for up to three years. This information, along with feedback and related data such as language, device type, or location, is kept separately and is not connected to the user's Google Account. Human-reviewed data is utilized to create datasets for generative machine-learning models, enhancing the responsiveness of Chatbots over time.

Using Gemini Apps may lead to third-party data sharing. If the Gemini Apps Activity setting is turned off or deleted, other settings like Web & App Activity or Location History may continue to save location and other data. Integration with other Google services or third-party services may result in data processing according to their respective privacy policies.

According to Gemini privacy support, “when you integrate and use Gemini Apps with other Google services, they will save and use your data to provide and improve their services, consistent with their policies and the Google Privacy Policy. If you use Gemini Apps to interact with third-party services, they will process your data according to their privacy policies.”

When using Gemini Apps, it's crucial to safeguard your confidential information and maintain privacy. Data privacy experts strongly advise against sharing sensitive data, as human reviewers may analyze your conversations to enhance machine-learning models. To ensure your privacy:

• Be Mindful of Content: Avoid entering confidential information or data you wouldn't want human reviewers to see. Refrain from sharing sensitive details that could compromise your privacy.
• Exercise Caution with Data: Only input information you are comfortable with Google using to improve its products, services, and machine-learning technologies. Exercise discretion in sharing personal details.
• Review Privacy Settings: Regularly check and adjust your privacy settings on Gemini Apps. Stay informed about any updates or changes to privacy policies to make informed decisions about your data.
• Employee compliance training:  Invest in effective compliance courses, like heyData’s employee compliance training, to provide a thorough understanding of crucial regulations such as GDPR and cybersecurity, streamlining their work and ensuring adherence to compliance standards.
• Opt-Out for Added Privacy: Take advantage of the option to turn off Gemini Apps Activity. By doing so, you prevent your data from being shown to human reviewers, ensuring that your conversations are not used to create datasets for product improvement. However, keep in mind that Google will still store data for up to 72 hours as a backup and for sharing with other Google services and third-party services that users may interact with while using Gemini.

Related blog: Employee Data Privacy Awareness Training Best Practices
 

While Google's Gemini Apps offer powerful tools for SMEs, businesses must balance their digital presence with data privacy concerns. It's worth noting that Google, with its extensive tracking capabilities and advertising-driven revenue model, offers these services, including some paid options, to sustain its commitment to monitoring user activities and refining its targeted advertising strategies. 

In light of this, companies must exercise caution, understanding the implications of their digital choices in the context of Google's underlying business objectives. This approach enables companies to the benefits of these applications while safeguarding their privacy in the dynamic digital landscape.

Today, Vendor Risk Management (VRM) emerges as a pivotal aspect for businesses, ensuring the security and privacy of their data when collaborating with third-party vendors. Implementing a robust VRM solution, such as heyData's Vendor Risk Management, empowers businesses to swiftly and reliably assess compliance with regulations like GDPR, effectively minimizing potential risks associated with third-party involvement.

Take the first step in fortifying your data security, explore heyData's Vendor Risk Management solution today. Safeguard your business, and protect your data. Book a demo!