Gemini AI chatbot: Google has released a new update for its Gemini AI chatbot, changing how it works with apps on Android devices. In an email sent to Android users last week, the company announced that starting July 7, Gemini will be able to access apps like Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities, even if you’ve switched off Gemini Apps Activity on your phone.
This change has sparked privacy concerns, as it means Gemini can access personal data, including WhatsApp conversations, without you explicitly enabling it.
According to Google’s support documentation, “your chats are saved in your account for up to 72 hours, whether Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” In other words, even if you disable data sharing, Gemini may still temporarily store some of your information for what Google calls safety and performance reasons.
While the goal is to make Gemini more useful by allowing it to read messages or send replies in different apps, many users are worried about the lack of clear controls and transparency.
How to Limit or Turn Off Gemini’s App Access
If you don’t want Gemini accessing your chats or personal data, here’s how you can restrict or disable it:
Step 1:
Open the Gemini app on your Android phone and tap your profile picture.
Step 2:
Select “Gemini Apps Activity” and toggle the switch off.
Note: Google will still keep some data for up to 72 hours, even after you turn this off.
Step 3:
Decide which apps Gemini can access. Tap your profile picture again and go to “Apps.”
Step 4:
Choose which apps to allow or block by selecting or deselecting them individually.
Step 5 (Optional):
If you prefer not to use Gemini at all, you can disable or uninstall the app from your phone to stop all activity.
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