You're not alone: This email from Google's Gemini team is concerning

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://www.androidauthority.com/gemini-apps-activity-email-july-7-3570651/

Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.

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Comments

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CptOblivius@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
My wife has been trying to get me to switch to Apple since Ive had a Droid X years ago. I’ve been on android since. It is time to switch. Probably a lateral move, but Google has gone to absolute shit.

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- eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Try lineage or graphene before jumping into the money pit maybe?
  
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- FG_3479@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  You can turn it off by going to Settings > apps > default apps > digital assistant > Google > none.
  
  You should disable the Google app entirely while you’re at it.
  
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sidereal@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
so this has got me looking at alternative OSs, but it’s all a bit confusing. which one is most mature and would still let me run android apps (I want my bank apps and stuff like that) but is also somewhat de-googled? I appreciate any advice

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- bitwolf@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  You wild have to test how strict your bank app is.
  
  GrapheneOS, /e/ os, and LineageOS
  
  Would be the first ones I’d reach for.
  
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vane@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
So it’s still Your device not Gemini device. I’ll wait couple of years.

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Elohim_Samael@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Can’t you just delete Gemini with Canta?

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kepix@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
this can be great for a disabled person i guess, i wonder if it works locally in a degoogled way

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- cley_faye@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  If there’s two things that have been consistent over time with the recent LLM and AI craze, is that it have some good, helpful applications for people with disabilities, and that none of the big players are looking into them. Some are actively working against them. Probably because it’s harder to monetize “living” from a PR perspective.
  
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- BrutallyHonestPOS@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  probably not, unless you add certain services back onto your phone. currently, gemini needs the google workspace to do anything, even something like setting a timer or reminder. i obviously dont know what change they make with that announcement, but i dont think they would offer such a feature without sucking the user deep into the google service world.
  
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badbytes@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Won’t be using any of those apps.

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randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
It’s conforting that I wasn’t the only one who found this concerning. But anyways I don’t have Google (the app; I do have some other Google services installed) or Gemini installed.

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ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I don’t feel very concerned… That’s kind of the point of the service.

Good that there’s an opt-out.

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- gian@lemmy.grys.it ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  Good that there’s an opt-out.
  
  A supposed opt-out
  
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  - ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Well, yeah. I haven’t actually seen this email yet in my personal inbox, nor have I found the opt out personally. Google is kinda weird with their staggered rollouts but I figure it’ll turn up.
    
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Ledericas@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
im using OP12R and uses google, but i dont if it has gemini as integrated in it as a pixel does?

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yournamehere@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
thats what you get when using software from US corpo. all your reasons to have apple and google are fake. convenience and laziness are the reason we use them. i mean if you use whatsapp youre a subhuman why care about gemini. thats the path to idiocracy.

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