This page is a working document and will continue to be updated as I am able to outline instructions for disabling AI integrations that I come across.
I’m doing what I can to block or at least limit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the apps, websites, and software that I use due to its ethical and environmental implications. This is my way of sharing some of the AI-disabling methods I’ve figured out in case anyone else is looking to do the same.
Avoiding online surveillance is becoming more and more difficult; sometimes it feels impossible. I hope this can serve as a resource for others who are as frustrated as I am with how every platform imaginable is integrating intrusive practices using AI that only increase how much we are surveilled within the online platforms and apps that we use.
Google Workspace & Apps
- Log in to Gmail
- Select the gear icon in the top right to open the Settings panel
- Select “See all settings”
- In the General tab:
- Under “Smart features”
- Uncheck “Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet”
- Select “Turn off and reload”
- Under “Google Workspace smart features”
- Select “Manage Workspace smart feature settings”
- Toggle off “Smart features in Workspace”
- Toggle off “Smart features in other Google products”
- Select Save
- Log in to your Google Account
- Select Security in the left menu
- Under “Enhanced Safe Browsing for your account”
- Select “Manage Enhanced Safe Browsing”
- Switch the toggle off
- Select “Turn off”
- Toggle will be grey instead of blue
- Log in to your Google Account
- Select Security in the left menu
- Go to “Personalized ads”
- Select “My Ad Center”
- Under “Personalized ads”
- Switch the dropdown option to “Off”
- Select “Turn off” and “Got it”
- Dropdown option will be grey instead of blue and will say “Off”
- Log in to your Google Account
- Select Data & privacy in the left menu
- Under “Search personalization”
- Turn off the toggle for “Personalized Search”
- Toggle will be grey instead of blue
Meta (Facebook, Instagram & Threads)
- Log in to Facebook
- Click or tap on your profile picture in the menu bar
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” and then “Settings”
- Under Audience and visibility, open “Posts”
- Toggle off “Allow comment summaries on your posts”
- Toggle off “Allow visual search on your posts”
- Toggles will be grey instead of blue
- Log in to Facebook
- Click or tap on your profile picture in the menu bar
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” and then “Settings”
- In the Meta Accounts Center box on the left, click or tap the “See more in Accounts Center” link
- Under Account settings
- Go to “Your Information and permissions”
- Go to “Your activity off Meta technologies”
- Go to “Manage future activity”
- Select “Disconnect future activity”
- You may be prompted to enter your Facebook password
- Log in to Facebook
- Click or tap on your profile picture in the menu bar
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” and then “Settings”
- In the Meta Accounts Center box on the left, click or tap the “See more in Accounts Center” link
- Under Account settings
- Go to “Ad preferences”
- Go to “Manage info”
- Go into each section to adjust your settings by turning off ad tracking activity as much as you can
DuckDuckGo
- Go to the three dots in the top right corner of the screen
- Go to “Settings”
- In the left sidebar, go to “AI Features”
- Uncheck the options under Duck.ai Shortcuts
Adobe
Disabling AI Features in Specific Adobe Applications (California Learning Resources Network)
Turn off generative AI features (Adobe)
