This Silent Android Feature Scans Your Photos For 'sensitive Content' - How To Disable It

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• SafetyCore installed silently connected Android 9+ instrumentality via strategy updates.
• It provides on-device ML models for classifying nudity, spam, and malware.
• SafetyCore only activates erstwhile an app requests it.

Late past year, Google pushed a strategy update for Android 9 and later that softly added a work called Android System SafetyCore. Most of nan update addressed regular information fixes, but SafetyCore was new. In Google's developer notes, it was described arsenic an "Android strategy constituent that provides privacy-preserving on-device personification protection infrastructure for apps."

That vague explanation near galore confused. 

Also: Your Android phone's astir powerful information characteristic is disconnected by default and hidden - move it connected now

Soon after, Google announced a caller Messages characteristic called Sensitive Content Warnings. Without straight naming SafetyCore, Google explained that nan optional mounting tin blur photos that whitethorn incorporate nudity and show a informing earlier you position aliases stock them.

Sensitive Content Warnings appears to usage SafetyCore to analyse images locally connected your device. Google has emphasized that SafetyCore runs wholly connected your telephone -- images don't time off your device, and Google doesn't cognize if nudity was flagged. 

Security researchers backmost this up. The squad down GrapheneOS, an AOSP-based security-focused distro, confirmed connected X that SafetyCore isn't secretly reporting things to "Google aliases anyone else." Google besides told ZDNET that users power SafetyCore, and said it "only classifies circumstantial contented erstwhile an app requests it done an optionally enabled feature."

Also: Google whitethorn displacement to risk-based Android information spot rollouts - what that intends for you

SafetyCore isn't constricted to nudity detection. It's a general-purpose strategy work that provides section machine-learning models that apps tin usage to categorize different types of unwanted contented -- including spam, scams, and malware -- successful bid to pass users.

Many users aren't happy

Because Google didn't intelligibly pass Android users that SafetyCore would beryllium installed, location are concerns astir privateness and control. If you've bought a caller Android instrumentality aliases installed immoderate strategy update since precocious 2024, you apt person SafetyCore connected your phone.

As 1 Google Play Store customer wrote, "No consent given, instal could not beryllium paused aliases stopped. I watched it instal itself connected my telephone connected Jan. 22, 2025 (couldn't region aliases cancel it) and it did each of that complete mobile web (my settings are to ne'er download aliases instal thing unless I'm connected Wi-Fi). Description tells you nothing. Permissions are for virtually everything."

Also: How to move connected Android's Private DNS mode - and why it makes specified a large difference

Adding to nan frustration, SafetyCore doesn't person an app icon and doesn't look successful your regular app list. To moreover find it, you person to excavation into Settings > Apps > Show strategy processes.

How to region Android System SafetyCore

Find it difficult to spot Google? Then travel nan steps beneath if you want to uninstall aliases disable SafetyCore. The work whitethorn beryllium designed to tally only connected your Android device, but that doesn't mean you person to support it. As 1 Redditor put it: "It's for illustration a microorganism installed done a backdoor by Google. That's nan complete other of safety, transparency, and privacy." 

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Why is Android's SafetyCore truthful troubling?

While SafetyCore intends to amended information by filtering delicate content, its automatic installation and deficiency of upfront connection are morganatic concerns. I besides dislike really difficult it is to manage. For example, connected my Samsung Galaxy 25 Plus, I couldn't set SafetyCore's permissions astatine all, truthful I couldn't simply time off it installed and return distant its expertise to do anything. 

While Apple offers akin functionality pinch Communication Safety connected iPhone, it publically explained nan characteristic and gave users power to alteration aliases disable it. Loath arsenic I americium to praise Apple, it sewage this right; Google didn't.

Also: How to restart your Android telephone without nan powerfulness button: 2 replacement methods

In consequence to this article, aft publication, a Google spokesperson told ZDNET: 

"By default, Google System services automatically update your instrumentality pinch security, bug fixes, and caller features. Some updates are delivered via strategy services successful abstracted Android packages. This maintains privacy, security, and information isolation pursuing nan rule of slightest privilege because permissions are not shared pinch different functionality."

Can I disable Sensitive Content Warnings?

Sensitive Content Warnings successful Google Messages useful by utilizing SafetyCore to analyse images locally connected your device. When enabled, Messages tin cheque if a image whitethorn incorporate nudity, blur it, and show a informing -- but thing is sent to Google's servers.

To get this benignant of protection successful Google Messages, you must alteration Sensitive Content Warnings. If you tried it and decided to switch backmost aliases move it off, unfastened nan Messages app, pat your floor plan picture, and spell to Messages settings > Protection and information > Manage delicate contented warnings. This redirects you to your Google Account settings, wherever you tin toggle nan characteristic off. 

Also: 7 elemental things I ever do connected Android to protect my privateness - and why you should too

Supervised kid accounts can't move it off, but unsupervised teens (13 to 17) and adults tin negociate nan mounting themselves.

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