Why this Android image-scanning feature is controversial - and how to get rid of it

Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images On Oct. 5, 2024, Google released a security update for Android 9 and later, which included a new service, Android System SafetyCore. Most of these patches were the usual security fixes, but SafetyCore was new and different. Google said in a developer note that the release was an "Android system component that provides privacy-preserving on-device user protection infrastructure for apps." The update said nothing else. This information left ordinary users in the dark and, frankly, did little for programmers, either. Also: The best VPN services (and how to choose the right one for you) After the release, in a listing of new Google Messages security features, while not mentioning SafetyCore by name, Google described the service's functionality: "Sensitive Content Warnings is an optional feature that blurs images that may contain nudity before viewing and then prompts with a 'speed bump' that contains help-finding resources and options, including to ... Read full article.