There is a feature hidden in users’ Google accounts that allows the tech giant to silently record their voices and store them for other uses.
Google stores audio recordings of web and app activity, along with verbal interactions with Search, Assistant, and Maps, which it uses “to develop and improve its audio recognition technologies.”
However, a tech expert recently shared a ‘cheat code’ that he claims will prevent Google from recording your smartphone activity.
Users must manage their Google account and deselect the options under ‘Data and Privacy’, which a digital expert says will prevent the tech company from accessing their microphone and camera.
Google stores audio recordings of web and app activity, along with verbal interactions with Search, Assistant, and Maps, which it uses “to develop and improve its audio recognition technologies.”
Users must manage their Google account. Then select Data & Privacy at the top and then Web & Activity
Tech entrepreneur Jeffrey Castillo posted a video on Instagram, explaining that users can turn off this feature by going to the Google app and clicking ‘Manage your Google Account.’
From there, select the “Data & Privacy” tab, scroll down to “History Settings” and select the “Web & App Activity” section, which you’ll see has a blue check mark.
Once you click and scroll down, you should notice that the voice and audio activity settings have a blue check mark; disable it to stop Google listening.
The way Google continues to capture conversations is a verbal version of a search engine, and every time it receives a “Hey Google” command, it creates the same effect as opening a browser window.
“When this voice and audio activity setting is disabled, audio recordings of voice interactions with Google Search, Assistant, and Maps will not be saved to your Google Account on Google servers, even if you are logged in. session,” Google shared.
‘If you turn off this voice and audio activity setting, previously saved audio is not deleted.
“You can delete your audio recordings at any time.”
Google has claimed that it only listens to fragments of conversations to pick up “trigger words” that it was programmed to recognize, allowing it to respond. to voice commands.
Although Google and other companies like Amazon and Apple argue that their assistant devices, including Alexa and Siri, only listen to commands and marketing efforts, the reality is that it still raises a significant privacy concern.
Once you click and scroll down, you should notice that the voice and audio activity settings have a blue check mark; Uncheck it to stop Google listening.
If cybercriminals access your account or access your smart devices, they could listen to phone recordings and steal information from data stored on Google.
Other steps you can take to protect yourself include checking the apps you download to make sure they come from official stores and not third parties that could contain malware, and reviewing app permissions to disable access to your phone’s microphone.
nortona cybersecurity app, suggested that people delete their voice request history if there is no memory bank of their conversations, use a VPN to encrypt their information so third parties can’t access it, and keep their software up to date. date.