Voluntary for adults, default for minors
Now it will be easier not to be affected by nude images in Google Messages thanks to a new filter function.
Google has rolled out several new security improvements to its messaging app Messages. One such that can help avoid involuntary manipulation of nude images is a filter that blurs nude images, so that the user must actively choose to look at the image.
The feature, which includes both received and sent nude photos, is optional and is disabled by default for adults, but active for minors. According to Google, everything must be managed locally on the device to preserve user privacy and security. Since it is performed automatically, it can potentially also slip through images.
Google Messages also gets improved fraud protection, where a filter should be able to detect fraud that may seem innocent at first glance, but which can in fact lead to fraud. Initially, the filter focuses on messages purporting to be package deliveries and job searches. When Messages detects a potential fraud attempt, the user is warned, or the message ends up in the spam folder. The protection is based on local machine learning, which means that nothing is sent to Google.
Next year, Google plans to also introduce a unified system to verify other people, thus confirming that the person the user is talking to is really who they say they are. This is meant to protect against attacks from attackers pretending to be one of your contacts.
Protection against potentially dangerous links will also be introduced, and messages from unknown foreign numbers can either be hidden or end up in the spam folder.
Voluntary for adults, default for minors
Now it will be easier not to be affected by nude images in Google Messages thanks to a new filter function.
Ah, Google, always keeping it classy with that new filter feature in Google Messages! You know, they say necessity is the mother of invention, but in this case, I think we might need to call social awkwardness the mother of invention! I mean, really, who hasn’t been caught in a cringe-worthy moment while scrolling through messages, suddenly confronted with a nude image? The very definition of “going to have dinner with your parents” disaster!
So, what’s the deal? Google’s rolled out a brilliant new filter that blurs out nude images by default for minors (smart move there, folks). For adults? Well, it’s more of a ‘you do you’ scenario—and honestly, isn’t that the ultimate adulting experience? You know, having the choice to peer at someone’s unmentionables or just boop your screen and pretend it never existed. A bit like choosing to watch a horror film or opting for a rom-com when dates go sideways!
Now hold onto your smartphones because this feature isn’t just about keeping your eyes off other people’s private parts. It also includes messages sent by you! Yep, a full circle of cheeky privacy. And it’s all running locally, preserving your digital embarrassing moments in the realm of your very own device. Because who wouldn’t want their most scandalous secrets contained like a twisted little present… just for you!
But wait! There’s more—like an infomercial you didn’t sign up for. Google’s added filters to detect fraud! Goodbye dodgy package delivery scams and job offers from dubious ‘agents’ who can’t even spell your name, let alone help you get a job. So, next time you think Cinderella might be offering you a sweet gig, Google’s got your back, saving you from potential scams that might look innocent on the surface. Though really, let’s be honest: is anything ever truly innocent in the world of messaging?!
And if that wasn’t enough, next year we’ll see something even cheekier—a unified system to verify contacts! Finally, we can put those relentless scams where they belong, under a rock! Ever been caught talking to a “friend” and later realized it was your mum pretending to be someone cool? It’s the kind of plot twist that would make a soap opera jealous!
Oh, and here’s the cherry on top! Protection against potentially dangerous links will be another feather in Google’s cap. Unwanted messages from strange international numbers? They’ll be tucked away in spam, keeping the digital landscape a little less… let’s say, ‘adult-rated’. Thank you, Google, for giving me fewer heart palpitations!
In conclusion, it looks like Google is not just adding features; they’re crafting a digital security blanket—a warm, snuggly, and slightly cheeky one. So here’s to sending nude images responsibly and spotting scams before they hit your inbox with a thud! With these new measures, our screens may just become a little less scandalous and a lot more secure. Because we all know… privacy is a privilege, but choosing whether to look at nudes or not? That’s pure power!
