Android 16 is Adding AI, Even if You Opted Out!

Android 16 introduces Google Gemini AI deeply integrated into phone functions like calls, messages, WhatsApp, and utilities, and now it accesses these services even if you explicitly opt out of activity tracking. Google will hold your data for up to 72 hours temporarily for reliability and safety checks, but this happens regardless of your privacy settings.

This update includes secondary toggles buried inside the Gemini app to disable access, but they are enabled by default, forcing users to disable twice and making it harder to control data sharing. The hosts emphasize this encroachment on privacy, highlighting how defaults matter and how these companies often design settings to benefit themselves over the user.

The changes underscore the increasing difficulty of escaping AI oversight as these features become integral to everyday phone usage, pressuring users to either accept these invasive defaults or jump through hoops to maintain control over their data.

• Android 16 increasingly forces AI data sharing despite user opt-outs, complicating privacy control.
• Google collects certain data temporarily for up to 72 hours regardless of user settings, risking user privacy.

• Check Android phone privacy settings deeply and frequently to maintain control over data sharing.
• Help others by informing and assisting them in managing these complex privacy settings.