A poll by Android Authority says many readers trust Google less after it linked phone numbers to accounts without asking first. Here is what that could mean for you.
Many Android users say they trust Google less after a quiet change that links phone numbers to Google accounts. Android Authority, a news site that covers Android phones, asked its readers how they felt. The outlet says trust took a big hit. The key complaint is that Google did not ask people first.
According to the poll story, Google now ties your phone number to your Google account without asking for your approval. A Google account is the login you use for Gmail, YouTube, the Play Store and other Google services. The change was described as quiet, meaning many people may not have noticed it.
Android Authority says its poll shows how users feel about the decision, and that trust in Google dropped sharply. The full article was not available for this report, so the exact numbers and the number of people who voted are not known here. A reader poll also is not a scientific study. It reflects the views of people who chose to answer.
The change touches people with a Google account, and especially Android users, since the poll came from an Android site. If you use your phone number with Google, it may now be linked to your account.
The material does not say exactly how the link works, which Google services use it, or whether you can turn it off. It also does not include a response from Google. Those details matter, and they should become clearer as more reports and official notes appear.
Check your Google account settings now to see whether your phone number is linked, and adjust your privacy options if you want it off.
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