While the Google wizard offers great comfort, it entails the risk of possible intrusions in the privacy of your personal data.
04/15/2025 – 09: 30hs
The voice assistant of GoogleGoogle Assistant, has become an omnipresent function on mobile phones, tablets, computers and smart TV. While it offers comfort, it also raises important privacy problems.
Many users do not know that their devices may be listening to them, even when they are not actively interacting with the assistant. How does it work Google Listening? What are the data you collect? How to deactivate it on different devices?
How Google Listening works
Google Assistant It is designed to respond to activation words such as “Hey Google” or “Ok Google”. When detecting these words, the device begins to record audio and sends it to Google servers for processing.
However, the system is not infallible. May experiment “false acceptances“, where he records conversations by error without pronouncing the word of activation. This means that private conversations could be captured and stored inadvertently.
Google uses this data to improve your voice recognition technology and offer Personalized answers. Human reviewers can also listen to a small subset of audio recordings to improve system accuracy. While Google states that these recordings are anonymous and are disconnected from user accounts, the possibility of improper use or accidental exposure is still worrying.
Data collected by Google Listening
The Google wizard collects various data to function effectively. These include:
- Voice commands: Every time you use the Google assistant, the audio of your command is recorded and stores.
- Location data: Google use the location of your device to offer contextual responses.
- Device information: The names and types of connected devices are recorded to facilitate fluid interactions.
- Application and services data: Information of installed applications, contacts and reproduction lists to offer personalized assistance are accessed.
These data are used not only to improve Google services, but also to train their models of artificial intelligence (AI). Although Google has implemented measures to minimize data storage and improve privacy, the large amount of data collected can be disturbing for users.
How can I check if my devices are listening to me?
To determine if your devices are listening to you, I followed these steps:
Check the microphone use indicators
- In a iPhone: Look for an orange point in the upper right corner of the screen. This indicates that the microphone is in use. Slide your finger down from the top of the screen to see which applications are using the microphone.
- In a Android: An orange point or a similar indicator may appear when the microphone is active, although this varies according to the manufacturer of the device. I opened adjustments, directed to privacy and consult the permissions administrator to see the applications that have access to the microphone.
Try with a conversation
- I chose a unique topic: Select a topic that you have never sought or discussed online, as “turtle care tips.”
- Comment near your device: Talk about the topic naturally, with your mobile phone or other devices nearby. Use relevant keywords repeatedly.
- Look at the ads: For the next few days, observe if ads related to the issue in social networks, search engines or other platforms appear. The ads that coincide with your conversation could indicate that your device is listening.
Check applications permissions
- In a iPhone: I opened adjustments, directed to privacy and safety and pulsá microphone. A list of applications with microphone access will appear. Disable the applications you don’t want you to listen to the microphone.
- In a Android: Go to settings, select applications and then application administrator. Show yourself through applications, click permits and deactivate access to the microphone for applications that do not be reliable.
How to deactivate Google listening on different devices
Mobile phones and tablets
1. Disable the detection of “Hey Google”
- I opened the Google application or the configuration of the Google assistant.
- Go to “Voice Match“And deactivate the detection of” Hey Google. “
- This will prevent your device from listening to the Activation word.
2. Disable voice and audio activity (VAA)
- Go to your Google account configuration.
- Select “Data and privacy“And then” voice and audio activity. “
- Disable the option to store your voice and audio data.
3. Disable access to the Google application microphone
- I opened the configuration of your device and directed to “Applications and notifications“
- Look for Google’s application and select “Permits“
- Deactivate the Microphone access so that the application stops listening.
Computers
1. Disable the Google Assistant
- I opened Chrome and go to the configuration.
- You must go to “Advanced“And then to” privacy and security. “
- Deactivate “Google assistant“To stop listening.
2. Manage microphone permits
- I opened your computer configuration and headed to “Privacy“
- Select “Microphone“And deactivate access for Google or Chrome application.
Smart TV
1. Disable voice control
- I opened the Settings menu of your smart TV.
- You must go to “Voice control“or” Google Assistant “.
- Disable the function for the TV to stop listening.
2. Disable access to microphone
- If your smart tv has Integrated microphoneyou must go to the settings menu.
- Look for the microphone configuration and deactivate access to prevent the television from recording audio.
Additional privacy measures
- Automatically eliminate activity data: Configure your Google account to automatically eliminate activity data after 3, 18 or 36 months.
- Review and eliminate past activity: Periodically consult your page “My activity” to review and eliminate any stored voice and audio data.
- Adjustá the sensitivity configuration: I reduced the sensitivity of voice detection to reduce the probability of false acceptance.
While the Google wizard offers great comfort, it entails the risk of possible privacy intrusions. By understanding how Google Listening works and taking proactive measures to deactivate it, you can recover the Control of your data.
Whether you use a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer or an intelligent television, the steps described in this article of iprofesional They will help you Protect your privacy Already guarantee that your devices do not listen to you when you don’t want it. Keeping you informed and attentive, you can enjoy the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICT) without compromising your personal privacy.
