Google is now warning millions of its Android users whenever certain apps could be spying on them. With that, the new feature alerts users whenever the microphone or camera has been activated.
Android 12 Update Includes New Security Notifications
The feature is already very similar to the warning that is already present on Apple's rival iPhone. This particular Google feature was just recently added with the latest Android 12 update, as per The Sun.
For users that don't have the Android 12 update, the notification won't be visible. With that, the new indicator will be present on the top-right corner of the user's screens.
Watch Out for the Camera or Microphone Icon
Users will see either a camera or microphone icon when a certain app tries to access either respectively. The new update aims to help prevent apps from listening in or even watching users through their camera, according to the story by News.com.au.
Users will be getting a rolling log of which particular apps have access to their camera, microphone, or even location and when the incident happened. The information will be made available in the new Privacy Dashboard located inside Settings.
How to Deactivate Microphone or Camera
As of the moment, it is possible to entirely deactivate the user's microphone or camera across the whole phone through Quick Settings. It is also worth remembering that the icon showing doesn't really mean anything nefarious is happening.
Some apps, however, genuinely need to use the device's camera just like Instagram. However, should users notice the camera is being used by what the publication called "a strange app" this could mean that the user is being spied on.
Apps Gaining Inappropriate Access
Cyber-experts have already been able to uncover a number of apps that have inappropriately gained access to users' cameras on Android phones. In order to prevent this, users should make sure they are using the Android 12 in order to stay away from these harmful circumstances.
Should users suspect something malicious happening, they should check the app's permission located in Settings. Users can simply deny specific apps from accessing their microphone or camera, for instance. To add, for users that are extra worried, however, deleting the app altogether could be a better option.
iPhone Camera Alert Fears
In 2020, the iPhone camera alert sparked a lot of fear regarding Instagram potentially "filming users" in secret despite this just being a bug. To expand, a lot of Facebook users note that they have spoken about something out loud with advertisements popping up just shortly after.
These users are claiming that they have never searched for the particular content before and that the only possible explanation for them popping out is because of snooping. With that, users are reckoning that Facebook is using their phone's microphone in order to listen to the users' real-world conversations. The company, however, debunked these claims.
Related Article: 1 Billion iPhone Users at Risk of Leaked Private Messages | End-to-End Encryption Failure
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
