Android's Messages and Dialer apps quietly slurp text and call info

28/03/2022 | The Register

Google has been caught red-handed in the biscuit tin, again. Researchers at Trinity College Dublin published a paper, "What Data Do The Google Dialer and Messages Apps On Android Send to Google?" that reveals Google (text) Messages and Google (phone) Dialer have been sending data about user communications to the Google Play Services Clearcut logger service and to Google's Firebase Analytics service, with no way to opt out. Google has subsequently admitted the data was collected for diagnostic purposes. 

A follow-up piece takes the view Google's addiction to data is out of control and that the technology company should seek help, for all our sakes. The article goes on to highlight "why attempts to limit security analysis should be fiercely resisted."

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