How does Gboard know what my friends has typed? (slrpnk.net)

submitted 1 month ago by simon@slrpnk.net to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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Android's Gboard always suggests replies in chat apps that fit the context of what my contacts write.

If my previous message had been related, I would assume it predicted what my contact would say in response and make a suggestion based on that. But even if the contact changes the topic, the suggestions are appropriate.

I don't expect that the apps all share the conversation with Gboard. So how are the predictions made.

It seems unlikely that it would take screenshots and base predictions on that. But otherwise I don't know how it is possible.

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[-] Cris16228@lemmy.today 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

We are talking about Google, are you sure it doesn't do whatever it wants? You know, settings can apply for all apps except Google ones (just my 2 cents) why not use something else? Foss

[-] simon@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago

I haven't found something that has good support for swiping words. Anysoft Keyboard gets too many words wrong.

If I thought Google was actually collecting what I type, I would put up with typing manually on another keyboard. But that kind of data collection without consent is illegal in the EU. I'd put the risk of Google breaking the law here at less than 10%, which is tolerable.

[-] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 4 points 4 weeks ago

I think giving up swipe to text is a small thing to make your life more private

[-] sonalder@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 weeks ago

You can use HeliBoard that has no internet access (because it's a fucking keyboard) and load the Google library for swiping words. It works like a charm !

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 0 points 1 month ago

I've also tried Microsoft Swiftkey, and it's still not as good. Gboard is, unfortunately, the best option for useability, though it is worse than it used to be.

[-] Cris16228@lemmy.today 0 points 4 weeks ago

https://droidify.eu.org/app/?id=org.futo.inputmethod.latin&repo_address=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.futo.org%2Ffdroid%2Frepo ? Foss + swipe

this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2025

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