Google is silently linking phone numbers across accounts — the privacy risks and how to stop them
Google enabled automatic phone number linking across accounts on shared Android devices by default in its September 2025 Play Services update. When a phone number is added to one Google account, it is silently added to all other accounts on the same device. While Google states the feature aims to improve account recovery and anti-abuse measures, the lack of transparent notification and the default-enabled status have prompted privacy concerns. The article examines potential security risks and provides guidance for users to verify their account settings.
Key points
- Phone number auto-linking has been enabled by default since September 2025 Google Play Services update
- Users were not proactively notified when the feature was deployed
- Stated purpose is account recovery and anti-abuse, but raises privacy and security questions
Summary and key points written by AI from the headline and a short excerpt, so they can be incomplete or wrong. Android Authority did the reporting; read the original for the full story.
Read the full story at Android Authority
