Source Forbes
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA—A recent update to Google’s Android operating system has ignited a fierce debate over workplace privacy after a new feature was introduced that allows employers to monitor and archive text messages on company-issued devices.
The feature, known as RCS Archival, is designed to help organizations—particularly those in regulated industries—meet compliance requirements for record-keeping and legal discovery requests. However, it effectively ends the expectation of privacy for messages sent via Google Messages on devices fully managed by an employer.
📱 Ending Text Privacy on Work Phones
Google confirmed the rollout of the RCS Archival function, which enables third-party governance and archival tools to integrate directly with the Google Messages app on company-owned Pixel and other Android Enterprise-compatible phones.
Key takeaways from the update:
Applies to Work Devices Only: This change only affects devices that are fully managed and owned by an employer. Personal phones are not impacted.
Archives All Messages: When activated by an employer’s IT department, the feature can intercept and archive all Rich Communication Services (RCS), SMS, and MMS messages—including those that are edited or deleted.
Compliance over Privacy: The move addresses a compliance gap created by the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in modern RCS chats, which previously made it difficult for companies to log messages via traditional carrier methods. The archival process now happens on the device after the message is decrypted, making the data accessible to the company’s IT department.
Employee Notification: Google has stated that employees will receive a clear notification on their device whenever the archival feature is active.
“The archival app then reads the message data and makes it available to your IT organisation,” a Google product manager noted in a blog post about the feature.
❓ Heightened Concerns for Employees
While companies argue the feature is necessary for legal compliance, employees are expressing concern about the blurring lines between personal and professional communication. For years, texting has been perceived as a more private, conversational channel compared to email, which is widely understood to be monitored.
Privacy advocates are advising employees who use company-managed devices to assume that all communication is being recorded and reviewed. This is particularly relevant for those in “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) workplaces where personal phones are sometimes configured with a fully-managed work profile.
What this means for employees:
Personal Texts at Risk: Any text messages, even personal ones, sent or received using the default Messages app on a managed device can be read by the employer.
Use Separate Devices: Experts urge employees to use a dedicated personal device for all non-work-related communication, including texts, calls, and personal browsing.
Alternative Apps Unaffected (for now): Encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal, if they are not integrated with the archival system, are currently not affected by this specific Google update, but caution is still advised on any company-owned hardware.
The new policy underscores the evolving nature of digital surveillance in the workplace, forcing employees to re-evaluate their communication habits on company-provided technology.
