Google’s New Android Update Allows Employers to Monitor Messages on Work Devices
Google has introduced a significant update to the Android operating system, granting employers the ability to access and archive SMS, MMS, and RCS messages on corporate devices. The new system, which now extends to RCS—the advanced messaging standard that replaces SMS—enhances companies’ capacity to monitor work-related communication.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) supports images, videos, read receipts, and other modern messaging features. Google’s update enables third-party enterprise archiving apps to integrate directly with Google Messages, allowing not only sent and received messages but also edited, modified, and deleted messages to be captured and logged.
According to Google, the update is designed to help organizations comply with legal and regulatory requirements. This includes government agencies, financial firms, and insurance companies that must meet standards set by regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additionally, businesses may use the feature during internal investigations or HR disputes to fully audit communication on work devices.
Ian Marsanyi, Google’s senior product manager, stated in a blog post:
“Our new solution enables third-party archiving applications to integrate seamlessly with Google Messages on corporate devices.”
On fully managed work devices, configured by IT departments, archiving apps receive notifications for every sent, received, edited, or deleted RCS message. They then read and forward the data to the company’s IT infrastructure.
The feature is compatible with Google Pixel smartphones and other devices running the Android Enterprise version of the mobile OS. Google has also confirmed that the system is backward-compatible with SMS and MMS.
To support transparency, employees will receive a notification when the feature is active. Nonetheless, privacy debates may intensify, especially among workers who view RCS messaging as more private than email.
Encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram remain unaffected and cannot be monitored through this update.
