This Google Pixel Update Could Share All Your Text Messages With Your Boss

Digital tools have enabled the most micromanaging supervisors to gain an unprecedented level of access to employee activity. The simple fact that everyone carries a smartphone means you're always tethered to your workplace, even after hours. Google's latest announcement about its Pixel phones adds to that headache, and it won't be the first Pixel feature that users may not be happy with. Unfortunately, it's also a legally necessary one.

In a November post to The Keyword, Google's official publication, the company announced an update to Pixel devices that will allow companies to archive all RCS messages sent and received on a particular device. Until now, Google notes that many companies have relied on carrier logging, which cannot capture end-to-end encrypted messages such as RCS chats on Pixel phones. This creates a legal issue, as all company communications must be retrievable in the event of lawsuits and data requests.

The silver lining here is that this change only applies to managed devices. Thus, if you bought your Pixel from a carrier, this won't apply to you, and you can hang onto one of the best Android phones to buy in 2025 without worry. Here's what the changes will look like, who they'll impact, and why Google  — and your boss  — may consider them necessary.

The new feature for Pixels managed by enterprise clients is called RCS Archival, and it allows Google Messages to integrate with third-party governance and archival tools. It doesn't necessarily mean your boss will snoop through all of your communications, but it does mean your employer will store them, at the very least. When you send, receive, or edit an RCS message, it will also be sent to your IT department's archival tool, along with a timestamp.

Although this process necessarily breaks the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) that is standard on Google's RCS client by transmitting messages to a third party after delivery, Google claims that the messages are still secure as they move between sender and recipient. The data is pulled from your phone, not from the message pipeline.

This seems to apply to all Pixel devices, including the new Pixel 10 Pro XL and its siblings, since Google has not specified any exceptions. Again, this only affects fully managed devices, which generally means your phone is company property and was given to you by your employer. If you purchased your Pixel yourself and never allowed your employer to tamper with it, this will not affect your device. Moreover, as we'll cover below, your consent is legally required before your messages can be archived (though the alternative is often a loss of employment).

Though it may seem like a step toward "Black Mirror," Google's RCS Archival update for managed Pixel devices is meant to help businesses comply with the law. Companies are required to keep business records, including communications from, to, or between employees. If a company or one of its employees enters into litigation or is charged with a crime, producing those records is often legally required. Moreover, if an employee, past or present, sues for discrimination or harassment, it is crucial to have full records that may help prove or disprove their claim. Failure to produce relevant records can result in contempt of court or otherwise disadvantage the company in the proceedings.

Employees do have a reasonable expectation of privacy under the law, meaning employers usually don't have the right to read or archive your personal communications. Moreover, employees must consent to the archiving of their messages. Consent may be included in your employment contract, or you may be asked to sign a separate document.

If you have been given a managed phone, it's a good idea to keep your personal affairs on another device so you don't lose personal data, such as those wedding photos you never backed up. Although the law is clear, if you don't trust your employer to keep only the records required by law and do not feel you can take legal action, move your private life onto a second device. For its part, Google's new RCS Archival feature is likely a means of addressing concerns enterprise customers may have about Pixel phones' record compliance. That means more Android phones in more pockets.