Is Google listening to your conversations? Here’s the shocking truth you should know, and how to enhance your privacy

New Delhi: Often, shortly after discussing a topic on the phone, related advertisements start appearing. This raises the question in people’s minds: does Google secretly record our conversations? The answer to this question isn’t a simple yes or no, but there is a related feature called Google Voice Activity.

What is Google Voice Activity?

Google Voice Activity is a feature linked to your Google account that saves your voice commands and search records. When you ask a question using “Ok Google” or “Hey Google,” or perform a voice search, the recording may be saved to your account. The purpose of this is to improve Google Assistant and provide you with more accurate results.

Does Google record without permission?

Google states that it only records audio when the user gives a voice command or grants microphone permission. However, sometimes the phone can accidentally activate, which might save some audio clips. This is why people think Google is listening all the time.

How to view your voice recordings?

It’s very easy to detect which of your voice activities Google has saved. You need to go to your Google account and open the Activity Controls or My Activity section. Here, under “Voice & Audio Activity,” you will see your recordings with the date and time, which you can listen to yourself.

How to delete Voice Activity?

If you don’t want these recordings, you can delete them. You can delete a single recording or clear all your Voice Activity at once. Additionally, you can go to the settings and turn off Voice & Audio Activity so that your voice is not saved in the future.

What to do to enhance privacy?

To strengthen your privacy, regularly check your Google account activity. Grant microphone permissions only to essential apps, and disable the Hey Google feature if you don’t use it. Google Voice Activity is not a spying feature, but it does save your voice searches and commands.