Summary
- Android 14's Data Protection Dashboard created confusion over data sharing in Google Messages, but it was an error.
- The Google Messages development team ticked the wrong box on the Play Store form to cause the error, but no location data was shared with third parties.
- Trust in data sharing starts with consent and being aware of who has access to your information.
As privacy becomes a growing concern in the technology world, device users are looking for ways to ensure that their data remains secure. Product and service providers are now creating privacy settings to do this, but that doesn't mean you should take precautions. For example, many social media platforms will share your personal data with third parties if you have not adjusted your settings accordingly. In some cases, you may need to opt out of data sharing, which means after you sign up you should assume that your information is being shared. For these reasons, the recent data sharing update that came out on Android 14 created a scare for a while.
Reddit users started questioning whether their data was at risk through Google Messages when Android 14's new data protection dashboard started showing apps under “Data sharing update for location” (via 9to5Google . This appears to be affecting those who had enabled app location permissions for Messages – a warning that read “Your location data is now shared with third parties” resulted in confusion.
This new dashboard is part of Google's effort to improve data transparency on Android, as explained on its website – in 2022, the company began providing end users with more information about how apps share their location data. How are you using it? However, when Google Messages appeared in this section, users assumed it meant the app was definitely sharing their information. In less than 48 hours, the company acknowledged that an error in the Play Store listing for Messages was causing the problem, and it was quickly fixed.
Source: 9to5Google
Google further explained that no location data was shared with third parties – rather, the Messages development team inadvertently ticked the wrong box when reporting the app's data protection status on the Play Store, and the new Android 14 The feature raised concerns about inaccurate reporting on this metadata. Third-Party Data Sharing.
With the rollout of Android 14, Google wanted to ensure that app users have more clarity into how their information is being managed. Rather than simply assume that device owners will read app descriptions in the Play Store, the company created a feature that generates data sharing notifications — specifically as they relate to location sharing.
Although the intentions behind the move may have been good, Android users had some reasons to be skeptical. For example, in 2021, newly disclosed documents revealed that privacy settings in Google Maps were intentionally made harder to access. The team behind the app reportedly noticed that many people were enabling the features and saw it as a problem. That being said, this is just one example of the allegations made against the company and its privacy policies. When it comes to sharing data, the trust you entrust to a company starts with consent – think about who will have access to your information. Even if your denial means you won't be able to use an app, you can have peace of mind knowing that your data is safe.
