KEEP an eye on the corner of your Android phone – it’s where you’ll find a very important alert.
Every so often, a special pop-up will appear and warn you if someone may be watching or listening in.
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The alert isn’t always proof of sinister antics – but it could catch a rogue app that’s spying on you.
It will flag when your camera or microphone are activated by an app.
So make sure you regularly check it to see if your camera and microphone permissions are being used properly.
It’s very similar to a warning that already exists on Apple’s rival iPhone.
The Google feature was added to phones in the Android 12 update.
So if you don’t have that, you won’t be able to see it.
The new indicator appears in the top-right corner of the screen.
You’ll see a camera or microphone icon when an app attempts to access either respectively.
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It prevents apps from surreptitiously listening in – or even watching through your camera.
You can also see a rolling log of which apps have access your camera, microphone or location – and when.
That information is available in the new Privacy Dashboard inside Settings.
It’s also now possible to entirely deactivate your microphone and camera across the entire phone in your Quick Settings.
It’s worth remembering that seeing an icon doesn’t mean anything nefarious is going on.
Sometimes an app genuinely needs to use your camera – like Instagram.
But if you notice that your camera is being used by a strange app, it could mean you’re being spied on.
Cyber-experts have uncovered countless apps that have inappropriately access the camera on Android phones.
So make sure you’re using Android 12, and that you stay wary of any foul play.
If you suspect something is up, you should check the app’s permissions in Settings.
You can deny specific apps access to your microphone or camera, for instance.
And if you’re really worried, you could just delete the app altogether.
To check if you’ve got Android 12 or later, go to Settings.
Then at the bottom, tap About Phone and then Android Version.
You’ll be able to see your Android version there.
If you’re using a very old version then it’s important to update as soon as possible.
Not only do updates bring new features, but they also include vital security updates that help to keep you safe.
Featured Image Credit: Google / Unsplash / The Sun
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
