It's supposed to be a handy feature: Google's "Take a Message" on Pixel phones can automatically kick in when you can't answer a call. Instead of the usual voicemail, it uses AI to transcribe the message and save it in your call history. I mean, who has time to listen to all those voicemails, right? It landed first on the Pixel 10 series, but Google quickly brought it to older models, too.

However, something's not quite right.

Lately, there have been reports of a rather unsettling glitch. Instead of just recording the caller's message, Take a Message seems to be letting them hear you. Imagine the awkwardness!

Multiple Pixel users have been raising the alarm about this issue, and it's not limited to a specific phone model. It's affecting everything from the older Pixel 4 series to the latest Pixel 10. One user on a Pixel 5 mentioned their family could hear their wife even while the voicemail was supposedly active. It's a privacy concern, plain and simple.

A Pixel 4a owner described it as the "wildest glitch." They missed a call and the caller reported hearing them in the background. It didn't go to the regular voicemail; instead, it went to another automated message, which is a sign that Take a Message had taken over. The user even confirmed that the microphone indicator popped up, meaning the phone was recording.

To make matters worse, some users are reporting that the feature only captures half of the caller’s message, which defeats the whole purpose.

So, what can you do if you're facing this issue? Well, the simplest solution for now is to turn off Take a Message.

If you’re concerned about your privacy, disabling Take a Message might be the best move for now. Let's hope Google rolls out a fix soon!