Google has been installing a COVID app called EXPOSURE NOTIFICATIONS on Massachusetts's Android users without their consent.
The app auto downloads itself from the PlayStore, has no app icon and requests permissions for your:
- Location
- Bluetooth
Google's statement yesterday in regards to this force installation:
“We have been working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to allow users to activate the Exposure Notifications System directly from their Android phone settings,” the tech giant said in a statement. “This functionality is built into the device settings and is automatically distributed by the Google Play Store, so users don’t have to download a separate app. COVID-19 Exposure Notifications are enabled only if a user proactively turns it on. Users decide whether to enable this functionality and whether to share information through the system to help warn others of possible exposure.”
Although the app is hidden, you can still find it in Settings under Apps.
