"Filter Spam Calls" feature in the Android

[adonesc76]

I noticed that on my Android phone app there are two sections (in Settings) under the heading "Caller ID and Spam". One is "See caller ID and Spam numbers" and it is turned on (by default I think). The other is "Filter Spam Calls" and it is turned off.

Is that a good feature to use and enable, or will it compromise privacy by sending even more information about the nature of one's calls and contacts (and other personal information) to Google?

I must say that overall the Call Screening, Caller ID and Spam features have worked really well for me and saved me a lot of grief when it comes to robo calls and just general spam.

I'm just not sure about the "Filter Spam Calls"...or even why it is turned off...

 

[VidJunky]

Do you have a Samsung? Just wondering because that is the heading I find when looking at the settings in my Dialer/Phone app.

As you mentioned, it works pretty well. As far as giving up more information by enabling the filter, in a pragmatic way is it even possible to give up more information? I mean both Samsung and Google have all of our information. In this case the OS and UI have access to our call logs, either of which but most likely both are sending that information somewhere. The thing about this however is it can be of benefit to the user. I personally have both enabled.

In my experience it doesn't always get it right which is a little concerning, more than what it does with that information. For example my child's school uses a system similar to OneCall, an automated system that robo calls all of the parents prerecorded messages from the school, and for some reason the service uses multiple numbers to deliver these messages. Two of the numbers show up as the school's name and at least one comes through as just a number. The numbered one(s) are almost always listed as "suspected spam" when the phone rings. I still get the voice messages in my Voicemail but as they are ringing in the spam filter hits on something with the number and flags them. So far as I know I haven't missed any messages or real calls because of having "filter" on. It probably does compare the incoming call number to a list somewhere to decide if it gets flagged or not but again both already have access to who's calling me, when and for how long, so am I really giving more information?

 

[mustang7757]

I noticed that on my Android phone app there are two sections (in Settings) under the heading "Caller ID and Spam". One is "See caller ID and Spam numbers" and it is turned on (by default I think). The other is "Filter Spam Calls" and it is turned off.

Is that a good feature to use and enable, or will it compromise privacy by sending even more information about the nature of one's calls and contacts (and other personal information) to Google?

I must say that overall the Call Screening, Caller ID and Spam features have worked really well for me and saved me a lot of grief when it comes to robo calls and just general spam.

I'm just not sure about the "Filter Spam Calls"...or even why it is turned off...

Which device ? Pixel ?

 

[B. Diddy]

I really don't think that would compromise your privacy at all. Spam calls are totally useless garbage that tends to get randomly sent, so I don't see how that would reveal any important private information to Google.

 

[adonesc76]

Do you have a Samsung? Just wondering because that is the heading I find when looking at the settings in my Dialer/Phone app.

As you mentioned, it works pretty well. As far as giving up more information by enabling the filter, in a pragmatic way is it even possible to give up more information? I mean both Samsung and Google have all of our information. In this case the OS and UI have access to our call logs, either of which but most likely both are sending that information somewhere. The thing about this however is it can be of benefit to the user. I personally have both enabled.

In my experience it doesn't always get it right which is a little concerning, more than what it does with that information. For example my child's school uses a system similar to OneCall, an automated system that robo calls all of the parents prerecorded messages from the school, and for some reason the service uses multiple numbers to deliver these messages. Two of the numbers show up as the school's name and at least one comes through as just a number. The numbered one(s) are almost always listed as "suspected spam" when the phone rings. I still get the voice messages in my Voicemail but as they are ringing in the spam filter hits on something with the number and flags them. So far as I know I haven't missed any messages or real calls because of having "filter" on. It probably does compare the incoming call number to a list somewhere to decide if it gets flagged or not but again both already have access to who's calling me, when and for how long, so am I really giving more information?

Thank you for your reply and detailed information.

 

[adonesc76]

I really don't think that would compromise your privacy at all. Spam calls are totally useless garbage that tends to get randomly sent, so I don't see how that would reveal any important private information to Google.

Thank you for your reply and advice.

 

[mustang7757]

Can you verify your device?