A new Android update allows employers to access and archive messages on your phone.

Google released the new feature, known as RCS Archival, allowing employers to gain access to RCS (Rich Communication Services), MMS (multimedia) and traditional SMS (largely text-based) messages sent via Google Messages on fully managed work phones.

Newsweek contacted Google via email on Wednesday.

Why It Matters

The update has raised new concerns over workplace privacy in the United States, and challenges assumptions many employees hold about the confidentiality of their texts on company devices.

Workplace emails have long been monitored for compliance and legal reasons. Employees, however, often considered their text messages more private, especially with the increasing use of encrypted services.

See Full Page