Latest news with #GeminiAppsActivity
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Gemini AI app now gets access to third-party app data on Android- How to disable?
Google has reportedly rolled out a new update that lets the Gemini AI app on Android devices access data from third-party apps installed on the phone. This may come as a major privacy concern to Android users. However, users can disable the Gemini AI activity from accessing data from other apps on the devices. This update has been rolled out from July 7 as per the ZDNET report, and many users may also have received an email regarding the major change. Therefore, if you want to maintain privacy, here's how you can disable Gemini AI from accessing data from other apps on Android phones. Android users can easily disable Gemini Apps Activity and the app's Gemini extension; however, it should be noted that the app will store activity for 72 hours. However, if the activity is not disabled, the app will store the activity for about 18 months. Follow the steps below to disable Gemini Apps Activity: Step 1: Go to the Gemini app on your Android phone. Step 2: Now, click on your profile icon in the top-right corner, and select Gemini Apps Activity from the drop-down menu. Step 3: Just alongside Gemini Apps Activity, you'll find a drop-down menu from which you can turn off the feature. Step 4: Now, head back to the profile's menu and click on 'Apps'. Step 5: Within the Apps tab, you'll see several third-party apps and a toggle switch. Make sure the toggle is disabled to make sure Gemini do not access data from the listed apps. Doing so will enable users to maintain privacy, and an AI tool to access personal data from other apps installed on their Android device. As far as iOS users are concerned, we checked the Gemini app, and users can follow similar steps to disable the Gemini App's Activity. However, for third-party app support, we did not find any third-party app list on the 'Apps' tab of the Gemini AI app. Additionally, users also have options to disable Gemini and switch to using Google Assistant on Android.
Metro
5 days ago
- Metro
Google is reading your WhatsApp messages by default - here's how to stop it
Google can now read your WhatsApp messages by default, a move experts told Metro raises 'concerns about user consent'. Android phone users received an email last week from the tech giant saying that, as of yesterday, Gemini AI, can access third-party apps. This means that people can pick up their phones and say, 'send a WhatsApp to [contact],' and the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot will do just that. While Gemini has long had this power, the change means the bot will have access even if you previously turned tracking for Gemini Apps Activity off. The email said: 'We've made it easier for Gemini to interact with your device. We're updating how Gemini interacts with some of the apps on your Android device. 'Gemini will soon be able to help you use your Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.' Gemini does not run locally, so all communications it can access are sent to Google, according to tech platform Tuta. Google stresses that Gemini can't read your WhatsApp messages or see the images you send. The app 'may support some of these actions with help from Google Assistant or the Utilities app, even with WhatsApp disabled in Gemini', according to a Google support webpage. The page adds that to help improve the 'quality' of Gemini, 'human reviewers (including service providers) read, annotate, and process your Gemini Apps conversations'. Google says: 'Please don't enter confidential information in your conversations or any data you wouldn't want a reviewer to see or Google to use to improve our products, services, and machine-learning technologies.' If Gemini has been deleted from your phone and is not integrated into your Android system, it will not be automatically installed after July 7. Tech experts told Metro that allowing Gemini to access third-party apps by default 'raises serious concerns about user consent, data boundaries, and AI overreach'. Daniel Frech, a business advisor at Businessmagnet, said: 'The issue isn't just whether Gemini can read your messages, it's that it could, unless users proactively opt out. 'That flips the principle of informed consent on its head.' Andy Callaghan, the founder of the booking system Jammed, said that disabling Gemini's access isn't 'straightforward or easy to find'. He added: 'Anyone using Gemini or similar AI assistants should check their settings carefully. Make sure you understand what permissions you've granted and revoke any that feel intrusive.' Disable the Gemini app: Go to Settings Apps Disable Gemini app To disable Gemini app access: Go to the Gemini mobile app Profile Apps and turning off each app extension. To turn off all Gemini App Activity: Open Gemini Aoo Profile Gemini Apps Activity Scroll to turn the activity off Google stroes your prompts in My Activity to 'provide, improve, develop, and personalise' Google products. If you manually switch this function off, the data will be stored for up to 72 hours for saferty and user feedback reasons, Google says. Gemini is a type of AI called a large language model, an algorithm that trains itself by gobbling up data so it can mimic human speech. This data can include information from a phone user's personal log, which Gemini has had access to through downloadable extensions. More Trending Google told Ars Technica that the update is 'good for users'. The company added: '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.' Google has been approached for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Elon Musk's Grok went rogue and started saying how much it loved Hitler MORE: Coronation Street star in tears of laughter as she calls out fake news story MORE: Using AI to help plan your finances? Here's what ChatGPT gets wrong
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Business Standard
27-06-2025
- Business Standard
Google Gemini to run in-app tasks even with App Activity off: What it means
In a move that could ease privacy concerns while enhancing usability, Google will soon allow its Gemini AI assistant to work with key system apps on Android — even if users have Gemini Apps Activity turned off. This change rolls out starting July 7, 2025, according to an email shared with users and reported by Android Police. What's changing and why does it matter? Until now, using Gemini to send messages, control calls, or manage device settings required keeping the Gemini Apps Activity setting enabled — which meant Google could store and analyse your chat history to improve its AI. With this update, users will be able to access Gemini's integrations with apps like Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and system Utilities without opting into long-term activity tracking. So if you have disabled Gemini Apps Activity to avoid saving your chat history to your Google account, you will still be able to send a WhatsApp message, call a contact, or set a timer using Gemini — something that was not possible before. Android Police reports that the change allows Gemini to interact with these system features 'whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.' While the setting used to be a gatekeeper for these app-based actions, Google is now decoupling basic app access from full AI data collection. What about privacy? As per the report, even with this improvement, Google notes that Gemini interactions will still be temporarily stored for up to 72 hours — regardless of your activity setting — for 'security, safety, and feedback' purposes. The Gemini Apps Activity toggle primarily affects whether conversations are saved to your Google account and used to personalize and train AI models. Disabling it means your chats will not show up in your activity history and will not be used to improve Gemini — but they may still be briefly stored for backend processing. According to a statement Google gave to Android Authority, users will be able to disable these app connections entirely if they prefer. The company emphasized this is a 'good' move for users, enabling more device control without forcing them to contribute data to AI training. This update also arrives as Gemini is set to replace Google Assistant on Android phones later this year. With that shift, enabling Gemini to handle core assistant tasks — even when tracking is off — makes it better aligned with what users expect from a virtual assistant.
Android Authority
26-06-2025
- 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
26-06-2025
- 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.
