Privacy

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Starting today, Gemini AI will access your WhatsApp and more. Learn how to disable it on Android. (tuta.com)

submitted 21 hours ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Gemini AI needs to be disabled on Android or it will override your privacy settings and gain full access to your texts, calls, and WhatsApp - even if you’ve turned off Gemini Apps Activity.

Google recently started notifying users via email that from July 7th, 2025, its AI model, Gemini, will assist apps on Android like WhatsApp, messages, and phone. Simply put, Gemini will get access to your apps even if you previously turned tracking for Gemini Apps Activity off. Soon the AI tool will be able to run tasks like send WhatsApp messages, set timers, and even make calls – regardless of whether you previously told Google’s Gemini not to track you. We take a look at how you can disable Gemini on Android from accessing your phone’s services, using your data for AI, and how to take back your privacy.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

So can somebody walk me through the assumption that it is somehow less private for Gemini to access your apps to send messages than it was for Google Assistant to access your apps to send messages?

Look, hey, it's a neat side effect for AI panic to make people aware of some of the privacy issues with voice assistants, but beyond the emotional, is there a reason that'd be the case?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

On the subject of privacy, they're both the same. They're runs on top of Gapps, which has access to the Android system. Anything you type, what you do, or what you think. They will send all the data to Google's servers and feed the AI. And Google probably knows you better than you know yourself.