Following various data-related debates these days, tech giants like Apple and Google have begun to focus a bit more on user privacy when it comes to their products and services. However, according to a recent research paper, this is not entirely the case because Google’s phone and messaging apps collect user data and send it to Google’s servers without your permission. This is a user privacy risk, but this practice can also violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
Are Google Apps infringing on your privacy?
Google’s phone and messaging app Arguably two of the most used apps on Android It is pre-installed on most modern Android devices. therefore,”What data does the Google Dialer and messaging app on Android send to Google?Professor of Computer Science at Trinity College Douglas Reese, discovered that these apps collect user data and send it to Google without the required permission.
Researchers said that The app mainly collects data related to user communicationIncludes SHA256 hashes of messages, timestamps of those messages, contact details, incoming and outgoing call logs, call duration, and more.When you collect the data, the app will Use the Google Play services Clearcut logger service and Firebase Analytics service to send them to Google’s remote servers.. Reese also emphasized the fact that Google can also reverse the hash of short messages to reveal content.
The report reveals the key points of both Google Dialer and Messages The app does not mention a privacy policy regarding data collection, A practice that Google recently made mandatory for all third-party apps in the Play Store. This is a kind of hypocrisy of Google and has a negative view.
These findings were first discovered late last year, after which Google was notified of the same.I also had a lease Google has suggested some important changes that need to be implemented in the app To prevent such practices. Leith has provided nine changes, but Google has already implemented six changes.
Moreover, Google provided some explanations for data collection practices.. According to the company, message hashes are collected to detect bugs in message sequences, and phone numbers are collected to improve the automatic detection of one-time password messages sent over RCS.
Remember, Google, along with other big tech giants, was previously in the news to collect user data without their permission. Whether through voice assistants or for advertising targeting, these tech giants have repeatedly compromised user privacy. Looking forward to more details on this. So what do you think about Google collecting user data without permission? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
