The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an EU law that took effect on March 6, 2024. As a result of the DMA, in the EU, Google offers you the choice to link certain Google services. Those Google services include:
- Search
- YouTube
- Ad services
- Google Play
- Chrome
- Google Shopping
- Google Maps
You can choose to link all these services, choose to have none of these services linked, or choose which of these individual services you want to link.
When linked, these services can share your data with each other and with all other linked Google services for certain purposes. For example, linked Google services can work together to help personalize your content and ads, depending on your settings.
Google services that can’t be linked
For most users in the EU there are no services that can’t be linked. Some services can’t be linked for users in Germany.
Tip: All other Google services that share data with each other and are not named above are always linked.
About linked services
If services aren’t linked, some features that involve sharing data across Google services will be limited or unavailable. For example:
- When Search, YouTube, and Chrome are not linked services, your recommendations in Search, like “What to watch” and your Discover feed will be less personalized.
- When Search and Maps are not linked services, you won't be able to save places on Search.
Aspects of a service that don’t involve sharing data won’t be affected.
You won’t be signed out of any Google services if you choose not to link services. Also, linking Google services is not about sharing your data with third-party services.
Manage your linked services
You’re in control. You can choose which of the Google services listed above are linked. You can review or change your choices anytime in your Google Account. Learn how to manage your linked services.
About your data
Learn more about how your data is used across linked Google services.
What data is usedGoogle uses this data shared across linked services for the purposes that are set out in our Privacy Policy:
- Providing personalized services, including content and ads, depending on your settings
- Maintaining and improving our services
- Developing new services
- Understanding how people use our services to ensure and improve the performance of our services
The choices you make about linked services don’t change your other settings, such as choices you've made to personalize Google services. They just expand the options you have to control how your data is shared.
Your data from all Google services, regardless of whether they are linked, may still be shared across all services for certain purposes, like preventing fraud, protecting against spam and abuse, and to comply with the law.
Your data may also be shared across Google services to effectively help you complete tasks when two services are offered together.
About Chrome and ads personalization
Your choice of which services to link doesn't affect ad privacy in Chrome.
When you use Chrome, you'll see ads embedded on the websites that you browse. Ads shown by websites are subject to that site's policies. We will not use your synced Chrome browsing history to track you to target or measure ads on sites across the web or on our own sites, such as Google Search.
Learn how ad privacy works in Chrome.