How to Stop Google From Recording Your Voice and Audio
Does Google listen to my voice? Is Google recording my voice? Is Google spying on me? You might be shocked to find out that Google is recording your voice and audio and storing it in their databases. There are many scare-mongering blogs and elaborate internet hoaxes surrounding this topic so I’ll explain exactly what is happening and what is not happening to make things clear.
If you use an Android phone and/or use Google services from any device Google has a feature that will record your audio if you search the web using your voice or use the voice-to-text feature (speech recognition). Even if you use the speech recognition feature on a third-party messaging app (such as Line – pictured above) or game, Google will record the audio if you are on an Android device.
For example, if you use the voice-to-text feature to text a message to your friends, Google will record and store audio of what you said. If you simply text the content to your friends using the normal keyboard, Google will not record what you said.
You can find your voice and audio files that Google has stored on this webpage: https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity
Select “VOICE & AUDIO” to filter out voice and audio recordings.
The reason why Google records your voice and stores it is as a means of delivering accurate search results to you and to enhance your speech recognition software.
- Google is not secretly recording audio of your voice while your phone is not in use.
- Google is not recording and storing video of you.
- Google is not listening to your voice if you do not have an Android (such as an iPhone or iDevice); However, if you use a speech function provided by a Google application, Google can record the audio.
- Google is not secretly recording audio through your laptop or desktop computer or using your webcam.
- Google does not give governments direct access to your data. There is no backdoor access to your data on their servers. No government has direct access.
- Google does not hand over your data to unknown parties.
If you have visited a website that tries to tell you differently, they are essentially lying to you. They are trying to shock your or cause FUD in order to obtain traffic and boost revenue from their advertisements.
Google says that the information they store is not used against you. They claim that your security comes first in everything they do and that it is important for them to keep your data private and safe.
Google says that if your data is not secure, it is not private. They make sure that Google services like Search, Maps, and YouTube are protected by one of the world’s most advanced security infrastructures.
Furthermore, Google uses extensive encryption to keep your audio and other data safe. Google’s cloud infrastructure protects your data around the clock.
How to delete individual voice and audio files
1. To individually delete the audio and voice files stored by Google visit: https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity
2. Select VOICE & AUDIO.
3. Click the drop-down icon next to the audio files and select Delete.
How to delete all voice and audio files
1. To delete all audio and voice files stored by Google go to https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity and select Delete activity by in the left menu.
2. Change the All products drop-down option to Voice & Audio.
3. Change the date from Today to All time and click DELETE.
How to pause voice and audio activity
1. To stop Google from recording your voice and audio files in the future go to https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity and click Activity controls in the left menu.
2. Find Voice & Audio Activity and move the slider-button to the left.
3. A message that says “Pause Voice & Audio Activity” will be displayed. Click PAUSE.
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