Can Google Voice Be Traced?

A Brief History Of Google Voice

Google Voice started life as GrandCentral, the brainchild of Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet. It had a good two-year run, and then was acquired by Google on July 2, 2007, for just under a hundred million dollars.

Google saw massive potential in the company, but it needed to do a lot of experimentation to integrate it into its own technology base and make sure they were complying with U.S. state and federal laws as it expanded its capabilities. So they closed the service to new signups. Old GrandCentral users were able to continue to use their numbers, but that was it.

Another couple of years passed as the team worked on integration and feature expansion. Finally, in 2009, the service was rebranded as 'Google Voice'. It was an invitation-only service for the first year, with no open signups. They did a grand relaunch and told all of the old GrandCentral users to transition over. The old websites and services were terminated on September 15, 2009.

In 2010, Gmail accounts with Google Voice were given the ability to make and receive calls, with the help of tech that they acquired from a company called Gizmo5. With this critical feature added, they threw open the doors to open sign-ups for all U.S.-based Google Mail accounts.

They also integrated the tech with Google Hangouts in 2014, until that was discontinued in 2021. These days, the main integration of the service is now with Google Workspace, formerly G Suite. It is, as of Q1 2022, still only available to U.S.-based accounts, though some international hosting has become available to business users.

How Does Google Voice Handle Privacy?

By default, Google Voice works with Caller ID just like any other phone service. The user's Google Voice number will be displayed as the CLID on all outgoing calls.

But this can be changed in the settings. It has the option to hide caller ID for as long as the user wishes to remain private. That same option can be used to pick which phone number is displayed as the CLID if multiple phones are tied to a single Google Voice account.

There is no central 'telephone book' for Google Voice customers. There's no number search directory. In a nutshell, people outside of the system won't be able to tell who is calling them if Caller ID is turned off.

However, fellow Google Voice users can see your listed name, active display number, E-Mail address, and chosen profile picture when you call them. There is no anonymity with internal Google-to-Google calls.

If you're wondering why anonymity is so crucial, then check out: Online Anonymity is Important. Here's How to Protect it

All VOIP numbers are issued by the Bandwidth company. Therefore, typing someone's Google Voice number into a phone number tracing service will only get them to the nearest Bandwidth exchange. And since Google Voice customers can pick anywhere in the U.S. as their virtual 'home', even that vague location can change in an instant.

So unless the user starts publishing their number of forums, websites, or directories, there's no practical way to look them up.

Can Google Voice Be Traced By Law Enforcement?

Because Google Voice is currently a U.S.-only service (outside of those traveling abroad to select countries on business accounts), the main way that an account could be traced would be by law enforcement.

Google does comply with subpoenas. They also respond to most court orders and search warrants without much of a fight.

Calls are logged with all of the user's account information intact. Additionally, IP address information is appended. Because Google doubles as the biggest ad agency in the world, it's likely that some measure of browser and device fingerprint information is also available to them. The combination of these things can provide a proof-positive indication of a Google Voice account owner's real-world identity.

So assume that local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and national organizations like the FBI, CIA, and NSA can all get access to Google Voice logs if they have a cause. And some of them may have access without any cause whatsoever.

Stopping Law Enforcement Tracking Of Your Google Voice Number

Though there are no guarantees given the number of backdoors U.S. law enforcement has within the tech world, there are certain privacy apps that can help disguise identifying information before Google can log it. That will severely hamper or outright prevent law enforcement's tracking of your Google Voice number.

The best privacy apps should take care of the two major identifying features that U.S. law enforcement might use to pin down your identity. Firstly, look for privacy tools that change or disguise your IP address. Secondly, disguise your web browser's fingerprint before any traffic is sent out on the Internet.

Why does browser fingerprinting matter? Because browser fingerprinting has become so specific, your particular combination of browser, drivers, screen size, features, and available fonts might brand you as a unique user. If nobody else in the world uses that particular combination of stuff, you're busted. This is far more common than people think. Check out AmIUnique for details.

Unless your system is compromised at a more base level (spyware, keyboard logger, bugs, etc.), or you openly announce your personal information on the web or on a call, Hoody will protect you from the kind of Google Voice probes that law enforcement makes.

Summing It All Up

So, can Google Voice be traced? With the right precautions in the setup, it should be pretty untraceable by 'normal' people who are outside the Google Voice network. And with the right privacy software, it should be untraceable by U.S. law enforcement unless there's something seriously compromised with your location or system. Google Voice can be a useful tool. But take all of the necessary precautions to protect your identity before you use it.

If you're looking for other private ways to communicate, then check out our article where we Compare the Best Encrypted Chat Apps.