In 2019, I have done an experiment: talk about a conspicuous topic in presence of an unlocked Google Pixel. Minutes later there were suggestions of relevant to that topic articles in Google app.
It is not difficult to believe that if it is available to Google itself, it will be available to whomever that pays for it. That is their business model, after all.
The relevant settings are part of your Google account[0], and as of 7 months ago (which is the last time I checked) KB said:
> Web & App Activity saves your searches and activity
from other Google services in your Google Account.
You may get more personalized experiences…
> When Web & App Activity is on, you can include audio recordings from your interactions with Google Search, Assistant, and Maps as part of your activity.
Speaking in presence of a phone with relevant settings turned on certainly strikes me as something that can qualify as “interaction with Google Assistant”.
The KB article does not mention ads, but I would not be surprised if more uses of your voice activity were hidden somewhere in ToS.
>In 2019, I have done an experiment: talk about a conspicuous topic in presence of an unlocked Google Pixel. Minutes later there were suggestions of relevant to that topic articles in Google app.
That's hardly a conclusive experiment when there wasn't a control group, and sample size was 1. That's the issue with the "facebook/google/whatever is secretly listening to you" conspiracy theories: plenty of anecdotes, zero rigorous testing.
Sample size is small but you see a KB article clarifying that it is what happens. It is not “secretly listening” if they say it openly. I never said “secretly” either.
>small but you see a KB article clarifying that it is what happens.
"and activity from other Google services" and "audio recordings from your interactions with Google" is hardly conclusive, especially when google has services that involve consensual audio recordings.
“Audio interactions with Google Assistant” is pretty conclusive, because when the assistant is voice activated it has to be listening to be useful, and it will do so even when the device is locked. Activating the feature (or not deactivating it, depending on defaults) implies consent.
The wording is also unambiguous about what you say being “activity”.
The part where it says that this activity is saved as part of your Google account is also pretty conclusive.
I can’t see how you can infer from that KB that the device would not be listening or that the recordings do not become part of your Google account history. What you could claim is that they are scrupulous as to when exactly your words become “activity”, or what exactly activity they save and share for the purposes of ad personalisation, which is your right to believe.
It is not difficult to believe that if it is available to Google itself, it will be available to whomever that pays for it. That is their business model, after all.
The relevant settings are part of your Google account[0], and as of 7 months ago (which is the last time I checked) KB said:
> Web & App Activity saves your searches and activity from other Google services in your Google Account. You may get more personalized experiences…
> When Web & App Activity is on, you can include audio recordings from your interactions with Google Search, Assistant, and Maps as part of your activity.
Speaking in presence of a phone with relevant settings turned on certainly strikes me as something that can qualify as “interaction with Google Assistant”.
The KB article does not mention ads, but I would not be surprised if more uses of your voice activity were hidden somewhere in ToS.
[0] https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/54068?hl=en&co=G...