SafetyCore" security update Google searches your cell phone for nude images
Google has introduced a security update on Android devices that may reveal more about user behavior than many would like. But what exactly is this all about?
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Since October 2024, Google has been scanning Android devices for nude images received via Google Messages and making them unrecognizable.
- Although Google assures that the image analysis takes place locally on the device, questions remain about processing and possible communication with external servers.
- Users can deactivate the "SafetyCore" function, but some report that it is automatically reactivated after a short time.
The chats of smartphone users often contain photos that do not necessarily belong in the public domain - including intimate images. It is precisely these that Google has quietly set its sights on. As ZDNet reports, the "SafetyCore" security update on Android phones can detect and obscure nude images and inform the recipient that they can only view the image with explicit consent. The company promises that this will protect users from the risks of sending nude images carelessly.
But the reality is more complex: although the function appears to serve exclusively to educate users, it also processes and analyzes sensitive data. Google uses artificial intelligence to analyze images on the user's device in order to identify and, if necessary, block nude images. Google itself refers to the following statement when asked by blue News: "SafetyCore is the technology behind the soon-to-be-available "Report sensitive content" option in Google Messages and helps users protect themselves from unwanted content."
There is a lack of transparency
Although Google assures that the images remain locally on the device and "no data is sent to external servers", there are still doubts about the protection of privacy. The AI is able to analyze not only the content, but also the people involved in the images - a process that, in combination with other Google services, raises questions about the data collected.
"SafetyCore" was only described in a developer message as a "privacy-friendly, on-device protection infrastructure". Another reason why some Android users find the introduction of the feature almost overbearing. Especially as the function is also installed automatically without having to explicitly agree to it. Although the service can be deactivated, it is reported that in some cases it is automatically reactivated after some time.
How to deactivate SafetyCore
If you still decide to deactivate SafetyCore, proceed as follows:
This is how you can deactivate SafetyCore
- Go to the Settings app on your device
- Tap on "Apps" or "Apps & notifications"
- Select "Show all apps" and then tap the three-dot menu at the top right to select "Show system processes"
- Search for "SafetyCore" in the list
- Tap on "Android System SafetyCore" and then on "Uninstall" if available.
- If the uninstall option is grayed out, you may only be able to disable it If you don't uninstall the service, you can also try revoking its permissions - especially internet access
