Google’s Gemini Can Now Read Your WhatsApp Chats—Even If You Opted Out

Starting July 7, 2025, Gemini can now read your WhatsApp chats on Android, even if you’ve disabled “Gemini Apps Activity.” Google says this update will help the AI assist you more effectively—but critics say it raises serious privacy and consent concerns.

📱 What’s Changing?

• Google sent Android users an email stating, “Gemini will soon be able to help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off”
• The update enables Gemini to send messages, make calls, set timers, and more—even if you’ve previously revoked permissions
• Google confirms chats are stored for up to 72 hours, regardless of settings, though not used for AI training if Apps Activity is off

⚠️ Why Users Are Concerned

• Privacy intrusion: Critics worry that bypassing user settings undermines consent and may expose sensitive communications
• Confusing messaging: Justifying features but leaving out clear opt-out steps has confused users and sparked backlash .
• Data handling anxiety: Retention of data for 72 hours—even if not for training—worries users. Manual disabling may be the only way to prevent data collection

🛠️ How to Protect Your Chats

1. Disable Gemini App Activity
   • Open Gemini app → Profile → “Gemini Apps Activity” toggle → turn it off
2. Revoke individual app integrations
   • Go to Gemini → Profile → Apps → uncheck WhatsApp, Phone, Messages
3. Disable or uninstall Gemini
   • Android Settings → Apps → Gemini → Disable. Or uninstall updates and disable the Google app to fully remove Gemini

🤔 Google’s Perspective

• Google states the update is meant to deliver better multitasking—allowing Gemini to help even with Apps Activity off
• A spokesperson told Tom’s Guide that users can still disable integrations anytime, and disabling Apps Activity ensures conversations aren’t used to train AI models, even though they’re stored for up to 72 hours

📈 What This Means for AI & Privacy

• AI integration vs. consent: This marks a shift toward deeper AI integration in everyday tools—raising debates on how much autonomy users should retain.
• Regulatory scrutiny possible: Similar to previous antitrust cases involving bundling, this could draw regulatory attention over platform control practices techtimes.com.
• Industry ripple effect: Other tech firms may follow suit, prompting new expectations around AI control over communications.

📝 Final Takeaway

Gemini can now read your WhatsApp chats by default, even if you thought you opted out. While Google emphasizes convenience and assureds data won’t train AI with Apps Activity off, privacy experts caution against automated data access without explicit user permission. If the idea unsettles you, manually turning off Gemini’s integrations and completely disabling or uninstalling it are the only surefire ways to safeguard your private messages.