Google brings child-safety feature to curb sharing of explicit photos on Android Messages app

The new child safety feature not only warns of age-inappropriate content on Android Messages app, but also blocks them.

Smartphones have become an essential gadgets in our everyday life. With the phone, one can book a cab, order food and get several other works done with just a few taps on the screen. Also, with the messenger apps and social media platforms, users can send messages, and make video calls to friends and family members.

However, parents need to be careful regarding children's use of smartphones. It is imperative to keep a track on who they speak to and what content is being shared between friends. Also, they need to protect the kids from strangers they come across on social media platforms.

In this effort, Google has begun rolling out a new security feature that not only warns of age-inappropriate content on Android Messages app, but also blocks them.

Google says that the sensitive content warnings use SafetyCore feature to perform classification on the devices itself. For the sake of user privacy, the feature doesn't send any identifiable data or any of the classified content or results to Google servers.

Here's how to turn on sensitive content warning on smartphones used by teens:

Users can go to Settings > Protection & Safety > Manage sensitive content warning.

Here's how to turn on sensitive content warning via Family Link app on parent's phone:

Open the Family Link app, select the child's profile, and then navigate to Controls > Contacts, Calls + Texts > Sensitive content warnings.

Once turned on, the Android phone will be able to detect and blur images that may contain nudity in Google Messages.

It will also trigger a warning if the user tries to receive, send, or forward a nude image.

And, it offers resources for the user to get help when he/she receives incongruous type of content.

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