On Tuesday, Google sent out an email to select users that sparked a wave of privacy concerns across social media platforms. Screenshots of the email quickly circulated, drawing attention to a specific line indicating that the Gemini AI assistant on Android would connect to certain applications regardless of whether the App Activity setting was disabled. This led to confusion, as the term “apps” was used in a way that seemed contradictory.
Google’s Email Might Have Been Misunderstood
The email stated, “Gemini will soon be able to help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” However, it also mentioned, “If you don’t want to use these features, you can turn them off in the Apps settings.” This dual messaging left users puzzled about the implications of the term “Apps.” Many felt that Google had not adequately clarified how to disable this feature.
According to 9to5Google, the term “Gemini Apps Activity” refers to a distinct setting currently available only on the website. This setting governs whether Google retains user prompts exchanged with Gemini in an activity log. Users can access this option through the profile menu in mobile apps or the side panel on the web client.
When enabled, this setting allows Google to utilize user data to “provide, improve, develop, and personalize Google products and services and machine-learning technologies.” Notably, this information is also accessible to human reviewers. Conversely, when the setting is disabled, the data is deleted after 72 hours, following server processing for AI output generation.
Previously, when this setting was turned off, the Gemini AI assistant was unable to connect to on-device applications. However, with the forthcoming update scheduled for July 7, this limitation will be lifted. Users will no longer need to activate activity logs for Gemini to interact with WhatsApp, Phone, Messages, and Utilities.
Ultimately, this update appears to address an existing concern rather than introduce new privacy issues, potentially enhancing user experience with the Gemini AI assistant.
