Do you notice that your handset still picks up audio cues for ads etc?

Even though the Google assistant is "off" on your phone?

The CIA has tabs on everyone, still. [They] use Google (and Facebook, Twitter, and other pre-loaded apps) to do it. [They] can listen to your most private conversations. And know exactly where you said it. Even if you've never actually used the app.

Here's how to stop allowing satan into your device.

Exit all of your apps and reboot the phone. Once the phone is to the home screen:

Go to google.app's info page.

Stop the google.app process.

Clear app cache

Clear app data

Go to app permissions.

Turn off all permissions listed in the google.app permissions section.

Disable Google.app.

Reboot the phone.

Enjoy not being monitored by Google.

<But why does this matter? I disabled it! WTF?

Research in the wild has shown that just disabling these apps is not enough; The preloaded apps cannot be uninstalled, being part of the ROM software. Being "disabled" just means that the icons have been hidden from the user in the interface; They are still useable by the system. Permissions matter; It's literally comparable to allowing satan into your house.

The example is for google.app specifically, but it will also work with other pre-loaded bloatware, like facebook.app and twitter.app. Apple and Microsoft are no better. Same idea applies to those: Deny permissions first, and then disable the apps and reboot.