Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
An internal program at Google known as “Android Lockbox” can give the company’s employees access to information about how Android users interact with popular, non-Google apps and services, according to a new report in The Information. The program, which works via Google Mobile Services, means that employees can reportedly see “sensitive” data about other apps, including how often they’re opened and for how long they’re used.
Sources claim this information has been used to keep tabs on rivals to Google’s Gmail service or to monitor Facebook and Instagram usage. Google is also thought to have used it to plan the launch of its TikTok competitor, Shorts. The Information notes that Google’s employees have to request permission to see this…