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Google’s ‘Secret’ Update Scans All Your Photos (www.forbes.com)
submitted 4 days ago by ad_on_is@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Per one tech forum this week: “Google has quietly installed an app on all Android devices called ‘Android System SafetyCore’. It claims to be a ‘security’ application, but whilst running in the background, it collects call logs, contacts, location, your microphone, and much more making this application ‘spyware’ and a HUGE privacy concern. It is strongly advised to uninstall this program if you can. To do this, navigate to 'Settings’ > 'Apps’, then delete the application.”

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[-] mp04610@lemm.ee 79 points 4 days ago

The app can be found here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.safetycore

The app reviews are a good read.

[-] hector@sh.itjust.works 37 points 4 days ago

Thanks for the link, this is impressive because this really has all the trait of spyware; apparently it installs without asking for permission ?

[-] Moose@moose.best 29 points 4 days ago

Yup, heard about it a week or two ago. Found it installed on my Samsung phone, it never asked for permissions or gave any info that it was added to my phone.

[-] Ledericas@lemm.ee 3 points 4 days ago

yea i found it as soon as this article said it was on your phone spying on you, ALSO many people, like myself noticed the battery draining pretty fast too, this is probalby the cause, if it installs without your knowledge, i doubt the app is excluded from your "app battery usage logs to, like it doesnt show up how much power its using.

[-] DuskyRo@lemmy.world 26 points 4 days ago

Smartest Google Defender

[-] Ledericas@lemm.ee 9 points 4 days ago

broken english too, probably from a paid indian reviewer.

[-] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 4 days ago

Thanks. Uninstalled and reported. Hopefully they'll get the hint. I love my Android, but this is pushing me towards Graphene/Calyx.

[-] Ledericas@lemm.ee 3 points 4 days ago

they will probably hide it better, and make uninstallable in the future.

[-] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 4 days ago

Absolutely. It'll be part of a future "Google play services" update.

[-] x4740N@lemm.ee 1 points 3 days ago

Apparently I'm a beta tester for it, don't recall signing up for beta tests with it

[-] win95@lemmy.zip 5 points 4 days ago

Apparently I'm a beta tester? How, what? Thanks for the link!

[-] redwattlebird@lemmings.world 3 points 4 days ago

The 5 star reviews are whack

this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2025
1017 points (100.0% liked)

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