Latest news with #GeminiAppsActivity
Android Authority
14 hours ago
- Android Authority
How much do you trust Google with the data you provide it?
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority 🗣️ This is an open thread. We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below — your take might be featured in a future roundup. Google is a technology heavyweight — that's just a fact. Despite this, it still needs our data for many of its services to function effectively. Whether we're offering up our Gemini prompts, Google Photos, or Maps reviews, we're contributing to the company's growth little by little and the steady improvements of the features it provides. But are we silly to trust it with the amount of data we give it? A recent article by my colleague Adamya Sharma triggered this thought. A recently issued and vaguely worded email explained that a forthcoming July update to Gemini will 'help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.' That's worrying, isn't it? Well, it turns out it was just a poorly drafted email (perhaps Google should've used Gemini to write it). In a statement, Google clarified that there's nothing to worry about, and that 'users can turn off Gemini's connection to apps at any time' through Gemini's apps portal. Users still have control over what data Gemini has access to. Still, given the noise surrounding this email, it's clear that users are in two minds about Google's (and its industry contemporaries') data privacy practices. With the importance of user data growing each day, I want to know where you stand. Here are the questions: Why don't you (or why do you) trust Google with your data? Are you comfortable giving Gemini and other AI tools more access to your data? Would you trade your data for more, freely available, or better-integrated AI features? How frequently do you review your Google account's privacy and security settings? Do you read data and privacy-related terms and conditions before signing up for a service or enabling a feature? Be sure to vote in the poll below, too! Do you trust Google with your data? 0 votes Yes, I do. NaN % No, I don't. NaN % 👇Sound off in the comments with your views about Google and your data.
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Google Gemini's upcoming changes explained: What Android users should do to keep their data safe
You're not alone if Google's latest email about Gemini left you with more questions than answers. The message, which arrived in inboxes this week, announced that from July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to help with apps like Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp, even if you've switched off Gemini Apps Activity. For many, the wording was vague and a little unsettling. What does it really mean for your privacy? Can Gemini still access your messages and calls after you've opted out? The lack of clear instructions only added to the confusion. Gemini's update is making Android users rethink privacy. Curious about what's changing? Get the real story before the July rollout.(Unsplash) The email said users could turn off these new features in the app settings, but didn't give any step-by-step guidance. That left people wondering if their chats or app data might still be accessed by Gemini, even after opting out. The link provided in the email took users to the Gemini Apps Privacy Hub, but that page didn't make things much clearer either. After a wave of concern online, Google stepped in to clarify the situation. According to Google, the update is designed to make Gemini more helpful for daily tasks. With the new change, Gemini will be able to send messages, make calls, or set timers, even if you have Gemini Apps Activity turned off. The key point is that if you've disabled this activity setting, your chats with Gemini won't be reviewed or used to train Google's AI. In other words, Gemini will work more like a local assistant on your phone, handling basic tasks without sending your data back to Google's servers. If you want to go further, you can disconnect Gemini's access to your apps completely by visiting Google says users remain in control and can turn off Gemini's connection to their apps at any time. How to stay in control Check your Gemini settings if you're worried about privacy Turn off Gemini Apps Activity to keep your chats private Visit the dedicated settings page to disconnect Gemini from your apps Review app permissions regularly to make sure you're comfortable with what Gemini can access While the original email may have sounded alarming, the reality is that your privacy is still protected if you manage your settings. If you're unsure, it's always a good idea to double-check your app permissions and visit the privacy hub for more details. For anyone who relies on Gemini for daily tasks, these changes are meant to make the assistant more useful without compromising your privacy. As always, staying informed and keeping an eye on your settings is the best way to keep your data safe.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
Google warns you about Gemini, what also applies to ChatGPT, Grok and all other AI chatbots: Do not …
Google has issued a stark warning to users of its Gemini AI assistant: do not share confidential information, as conversations may be reviewed by humans for up to three years. This privacy caution extends beyond Google's platform, highlighting a critical concern that applies to all major AI chatbots including ChatGPT, Grok , and others. The warning comes as Google prepares to expand Gemini's access to Android users' phones, messages, and apps starting July 7, 2025. According to emails sent to users, Gemini will soon access Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities applications regardless of whether users have enabled Gemini Apps Activity settings. Human reviewers can access your AI conversations for quality control Google's current privacy documentation reveals that when Gemini Apps Activity is enabled, data is stored for up to 18 months and may be reviewed by human moderators with personal identifiers removed. Even when the setting is disabled, data may still be retained for up to 72 hours for quality and security purposes. This practice of human review is not unique to Google. Most major AI platforms employ similar quality control measures, making the confidentiality warning universally relevant. Companies like OpenAI , Anthropic, and others have acknowledged that human reviewers may examine conversations to improve AI performance and ensure safety compliance. Privacy settings may not provide complete protection from AI data collection The timing of Google's announcement has raised additional privacy concerns, as the expanded access will begin in less than two weeks. Users who wish to opt out can adjust settings through the Apps settings page, though Google has not provided clear instructions on the exact location of these controls. The broader implication extends to all AI interactions: users should treat conversations with any AI assistant as potentially non-private. Whether discussing business strategies, personal matters, or sensitive information, the risk of human review means these platforms should not be considered secure channels for confidential communications. This universal privacy principle applies regardless of the AI platform's promises about data protection.
Engadget
a day ago
- Engadget
What do Google's Gemini privacy changes actually mean?
A Google email about Gemini privacy is causing quite the stir. The alarm came from a change in what the chatbot can access when your history is turned off. However, the update's implications are far less sensational than initially feared. Here's the heart of the email that set off the hubbub in the otherwise sleepy summer tech press. "Gemini will soon be able to help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off." (Emphasis is ours.) The email also noted that the change starts rolling out automatically on July 7. So, that bold part sounds pretty bad, right? Gemini is just rifling through our texts, no matter what we say??! In this case, the change is no more concerning than, well, anything else AI companies do with your data. Before this update, Gemini's Apps Activity Setting had to be on to use those extensions. If you wanted to let Gemini handle tasks like making calls or sending texts, you need to save your conversations. If not, you couldn't use Gemini's Phone, Messages, WhatsApp or Utilities extensions. In other words, you had to store your chats on Google's servers to get Gemini's full power. (Google still stores them for 72 hours even when it's off. But that mandatory period has been in place since Gemini was still called Bard.) That also meant your interactions could be used to train Google's AI models. What's happening now appears to be better for privacy. Now, you can leave the chatbot's history off and still use those features. You still don't have to use the extensions. If you do, Google won't train on them or store them for more than three days if your Apps Activity is off. The update is likely a case of Google paving the way for Gemini to replace Google Assistant on Android. (That happens later this year.) Those are the kinds of tasks a phone's default assistant will need to handle. Gemini is already the de facto assistant on Pixel handsets. In a statement sent to Engadget, Google helped to clarify the confusion. 'This update is good for users: they can now use Gemini to complete daily tasks on their mobile devices like send messages, initiate phone calls, and set timers while Gemini Apps Activity is turned off. With Gemini Apps Activity turned off, their Gemini chats are not being reviewed or used to improve our AI models. As always, users can turn off Gemini's connection to apps at any time by navigating to .' So, this appears to be a storm in a teacup among a tech press eager for something interesting to cover during slow season. But you know what? I'm cool with that. It's good to be concerned about AI privacy. You'd better be if you're using these services. If some of our competitors jumped the gun in declaring this an emergency when it wasn't, well… that's much better than shrugging these things off.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Gemini AI Will Soon Access Calls and Messages on Your Android Even If You Turn It Off
Google's Gemini team is informing Android users about a big (and scary) change coming soon. According to an email sent to some users, starting July 7, 2025, Gemini is to have access to Phones, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on Android phones, regardless of whether Gemini Apps Activity is turned on or off: Gemini will soon be able to help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off. This definitely raises privacy concerns because the email does not clearly explain what "help you use" these apps will actually mean. The message says that those who do not want these changes can turn them off on the Apps settings page, but it does not give details on how to find this option or what exactly will be disabled. We're not sure yet whether Gemini will be able to read or send messages, access call logs, or interact with third-party apps like WhatsApp by default, even for users who have opted out of Gemini Apps Activity. Google's current privacy documentation says that when Gemini Apps Activity is off, data may still be kept for up to 72 hours for quality and security reasons. If the setting is on, data is stored for up to 18 months and may be reviewed by humans, with personal identifiers removed, as reported by Android Authority. The company warns users not to share confidential information with Gemini, as some conversations may be reviewed for up to three years. And the worst part is, this comes out in less than two weeks, on July 7.
