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- Google is rolling out a new text-archiving feature for Pixel phones
- It allows companies to comply with regulations in case of legal disputes
- But as every text is archived, your boss might be able to read what you say
Do you have a Google Pixel phone provided by the company you work for? If so, your boss might soon be able to read your RCS messages thanks to an upcoming change to the Google Messages app on Android.
As laid out in a Google blog post, the Android RCS Archival feature will let company-managed Pixel phones (and “other compatible Android Enterprise devices”) integrate third-party archiving apps into Google Messages so that they can take a backup of every text that passes through. That includes messages both sent and received, plus texts that are edited or deleted.
The move is being made to help companies abide by strict regulations concerning record keeping and legal requests that might involve employee communications. Right now, Google says archival providers Celltrust, Smarsh, and 3rd Eye are on board, with “more archival apps coming soon in 2026".
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Before the introduction of Android RCS Archival, it could be tricky for firms to meet these regulations due to the end-to-end encryption features baked into RCS, which meant that messages sent between devices could not be read by anyone except their senders and recipients. Companies relied on carriers to log messages that might be needed in case of a legal dispute or data request, but with end-to-end encryption, they couldn’t do that.
Why it's happening
With Android RCS Archival, logging is made much easier. It also means that companies can use RCS and all its modern features – like read receipts, typing indicators and more – instead of having to rely on the older, less capable SMS and MMS platforms.
Yet since every message is harvested and archived, it brings up the concern that your boss might be able to read every text you’ve typed into Google Messages on your work phone.
Still, it’s done in a fairly transparent way, as Google says that “Employees will see a clear notification on their device whenever the archival feature is active.” That means there shouldn’t be any stealthy logging going on that you’re unaware of. Archiving is done directly on each device and not on the cloud, too, which means that end-to-end encryption is preserved.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Still, given there’s a chance that any message you type could be read by your boss, you might want to dial in those snarky comments when you’re using your work phone – or start eyeing up one of the best secure smartphones.
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TOPICS Google
Alex BlakeSocial Links NavigationFreelance ContributorAlex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.
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