How Google is secretly recording you

If you run Android software on your smartphone, Google may have been recording you every day without you knowing. Photo / Getty

Technology giants Google has been secretly recording your conversations without your knowledge, an investigation has revealed.

According to The Sun, Google has turned millions of its users' smartphones into listening devices that can capture your conversations.

Google's Assistant, which is available on Android phone, is similar to Apple's Siri which listens to your questions and requests.

Google told the Sun newspaper it only turns on when you say "Ok Google", however, an investigation found just saying "OK" has prompted the device to switch to listening mode - and record approximately 20 seconds of audio.

According to the Sun, the recordings are then uploaded to Google's computer servers and a text version of the conversation can be saved.

A spokesman said the recordings were only used to improve the artificial intelligence's speech recognition across search.

It is also used for marketing purposes.

It is possible to access your Google sound files, which remains transparent, unlike Apple's Siri function.

All you need to do is sign into your Gmail or Google account and type "history.google.com/history" into your web browser.

Visit history.google.com/history to find a hub that is pretty much a tell-all about your digital life. Photo / Google

You'll be taken to a hub which contains your entire digital footprint.

In the Voice and Audio activity tab you can then find the list of your recordings.

You can check for your web activity by clicking here. Photo / Google

Scroll down Activity Controls to find the section title Voice and Audio activity. Photo / Google

One worrying aspect is its ability to pick up conversations even when the phone owner isn't in the room.

However, it is possible to pause Google from storing the information. You can switch off the settings in the Activity controls and "Web & App activity" section.

Android users are advised to check back on a regular basis to ensure they haven't been auto-enrolled when an update occurs.