Google peeking into your location information even when it is turned off?

New Delhi: Even as the widening debate on encryption and fundamental right to privacy continues to die down, the latest report on Google's location data collection may come as a shocker for many.

As per a report in the Quartz, Google is collecting location information from Android smartphones despite location services being actively switched off.

An investigative report by Quartz has revealed that phones running Android software gather data about the user's location and sends it “back to Google when they’re connected to the internet”.

The information is collected even if the user actively turns off location services, has not used any apps, and has not even inserted a carrier SIM card, the investigation has found.

The investigation has found that Google is collecting location data since beginning of 2017 after a change in early 2017 to the Firebase Cloud Messaging service. The service is is owned by Google and runs on Android phones as a default set up.

“The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer expectation of privacy,” it said.

Quartz has said that Google has confirmed the findings on data collection and the company's spokesperson has said that the search engine giant will take “steps to end the practice”.

“By the end of November, the company said, Android phones will no longer send cell-tower location data to Google, at least as part of this particular service, which consumers cannot disable,” Quartz quoting Google Spokesperson has said.