WhatsApp may be continuously listening to you even when the app is not in use.
Several users have recently noticed that the Meta-owned encrypted messaging app has been using the microphone in the background.
The company says it’s an Android bug that Google needs to fix.
Over the past few years, Google has greatly improved privacy and security measures on Android. You can now check which app has access to cameras, microphones, location, and more all in one place and instantly revoke access. You can also see the usage timeline to ensure that there haven’t been any unauthorized or suspicious access. On top of this, Android now shows display indicators when an app uses the camera or microphone. You will see little green dots in the top right corner of the screen.
In recent weeks, several users have noticed that the green dot is persistent on their Android phones if when are not actively using the camera or microphone. Upon checking the Privacy Dashboard, they found that WhatsApp has been using the microphone all the time. Even if the app is not in use or running in the background (removed from recent apps), it doesn’t stop using the microphone. Screenshots shared by affected users show continuous microphone usage for several minutes in quick succession.
WhatsApp blamed an Android bug for this problem
This problem seems to have existed for a few weeks now. The folks over at Piunikaweb have compiled user reports dating back to late March. Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones appear to be the most affected, though the problem may exist on devices from other brands as well. For some, a recent update for WhatsApp stopped this creepy behavior but not everyone seems to be this lucky. The company, meanwhile, has blamed Google for the problem. It says WhatsApp isn’t using the microphone in the background. An Android bug is incorrectly showing the information on Privacy Dashboard.
“We believe this is a bug on Android that mis-attributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate,” WhatsApp tweeted yesterday quoting a Twitter engineer who reported the same problem. “Users have full control over their mic settings,” it added. The company reassured that “WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video”. Moreover, “these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them.”
It’s unclear what’s happening here. But users who are facing this problem might be better off revoking microphone access to WhatsApp for the time being. Some users have found that the app stops the creepy behavior after revoking access, then restarting the phone, and then granting access again. If you’re having this problem, you can try this workaround. We will let you know if and when WhatsApp or Google provide more information or roll out a fix for the issue.
