NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The world's biggest search engine is changing the way it handles user's personal information.
Google announced on Wednesday a new privacy policy that combines information gathered from all of its networks, including Google search, Gmail, YouTube and Google Calendar.
Each of Google's brands have had separate privacy agreements, however with the recent announcement all the information will be pulled into one account, which will allow Google to compile user information from any Google service a person uses.
John Ellis works as a search and social media analyst.
He told Nashville's News 2 the search engine knows user's private information.
"They know everything, everything you sign up with. Your name, your work, your phone number [and] your address information," he said.
Ellis continued, "It's affecting your searches by pulling in your social side of things. It's pulling your contact information, and all these things that are tied together to make your own personalized search results. "
By searching for key words in Gmail searches, YouTube videos and Google calendar, the company can allow advertisers to better target the ads that appear on a user's search results.
Google also uses the information to make an individuals search, pull results at the top which the search engine thinks is more relevant to the specific user.
Ellis, who owns and operates Crescent Interactive said he thinks the way Google uses the information is good and believes the policy change will be helpful.
"They don't look at your personal information; they don't share that information with advertisers. They're sharing general ideas, general geographical ides with advertisers. They group people in different categories so advertisers can take that information and target that group of individuals."
Google said users can not opt out of the privacy agreement which goes into effect on March 1.
