Reddit User Reports Google Play Services Links Phone Number to All Accounts
The verification number is tied to every signed-in Google account on a device without a prompt, and users can turn the sync off in Settings.
A Reddit user has reported that Google Play Services verifies the phone number on a device and associates it with every Google account signed in on that device, according to Android Police. The association happens without any prompt or warning to the user, the report said.
According to the report, phone numbers used this way create a link between Google accounts on the same device that would otherwise stay separate. The same behavior was said to occur on a GrapheneOS device.
Users who want to stop the automatic sync can open Settings, then Google, then All services, then Privacy & security, and disable the Phone number verification option. Stored numbers can be viewed and removed in a Google account's Personal info section under Phone.
Android Police covered the user's account. For more than a decade, major news outlets have reported on Google collecting data when users use its apps and services.
Quick answers
How do I stop Google Play Services from linking my phone number to my accounts?
Open Settings, go to Google, then All services, then Privacy & security, and turn off the Phone number verification option.
Where can I see or delete the phone number stored on my Google account?
The stored number appears in your Google account's Personal info section under Phone, where it can be viewed and removed.
Does this happen on GrapheneOS too?
The Reddit user who reported the behavior said it also occurred on a GrapheneOS device.