Google bans apps that could make you break the law on BILLIONS of phones

Call recording apps on Android will no longer work as Google has announced a massive ban amid fears people could accidentally break the law.

The tech giant fears that such apps could be used illegally since laws on the practice vary so much around the world.

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Call recording is widely permitted, but in some places all participants in the call must be made aware and give their consent, such as California and Germany.

In the UK it is not illegal to record a call without telling anyone, provided it is for your own use.

However, if you sell a recording to a third party or pass it on to the public without the consent of the other party, you enter legal ambiguity and can be prosecuted.

In the US, things get even more complicated with different laws in each state.

For example, in Arizona, you can record a call if you own the phone account and are the bill payer.

But beyond that, there are concerns that these apps violate privacy and security, so Google has decided to block them for good.

It’s not the first time call recording apps have been banned.

Previously, the company blocked a part needed by developers to capture footage, but they found a way around it.

Google is now closing the loophole on May 11 and making affected apps completely unusable.

But there’s a catch that allows a small number of apps to continue.

Built-in call recordings can be continued

If your phone has a built-in call recording option, these can stay.

This means devices like Google Pixel and xiaomi can continue to offer it.

If you’re wondering why Google bans it while allowing the feature on its own smartphones, there’s a reason.

Participants are notified that the call will be recorded before it begins on the Pixel, making it more legally secure.

“If the app is the default dialer on the phone and also pre-installed, accessibility is not required to gain access to the incoming audio stream and is therefore not violated,” Google announced.

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