Google Messages update finally adds an important safety tool – and teases a feature I’m surprised the app doesn’t have already hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector) | usagoldmines.com

• Google Messages beta finally adds Sensitive Content Warnings for some
• Live Location was also teased by in-app code
• There’s no word on when the features will roll out to everyone

Google Messages looks set to receive a couple of new tools to make the service more useful and safer to use. And we’re excited to try out both once they’ve rolled out.

The first is that Google appears set to add live location sharing to its app. That’s according to Android Authority’s recent APK teardown.

You can currently share your location with another person through Google Maps, but it sends the information as a static Google Maps pin. If you move, you’ll need to send your location again, which can make meeting up while you’re out and about a challenge.

That looks set to change however, as in the latest beta code a single string referencing “live_location_sharing_shortcut” was discovered.

For now the feature isn’t live, but the string suggests that Google is probably experimenting with live location sharing behind the scenes and could be preparing to release the feature in a future beta.

As always, there’s a chance Google will never release live location sharing, but here’s hoping it does – and sooner rather than later, given how helpful it can be.

Sensitive Content Warnings incoming

The other update is one that was announced back in February but finally seems to be live for a few via the latest Messages beta: new Sensitive Content Warnings (via 9to5Google).

They’ll appear if a Google Messages user sends or receives nude images (if they have the setting switched on), though for adults, it’s switched off by default. Meanwhile, accounts owned by people under 18 will have the feature switched on by default.

Supervised accounts can’t turn the warnings off themselves (though parents can control the setting through the Family Link app), while Unsupervised teens (users aged 13 to 17) can turn the warnings off in their Google Account settings if they choose.

To change your settings, you’ll want to open Google Messages on your Android device, tap on your profile picture, then tap on Messages settings. Scroll down to find Protection and safety, then Manage sensitive content warnings to then be able to toggle Warnings in Google Messages on or off.

Google says these warnings are handled by on-device AI (so the feature “doesn’t send identifiable data or any of the classified content or results to Google servers”).

If the Android System SafetyCore behind the feature thinks the image might contain nudity, a few things happen.

First, if the sender has the feature on, they’ll be warned about the risks of sending nude images before being asked to confirm if they do indeed wish to send it. Similar warnings and confirmations will appear if you’re trying to share a nude image with another person.

The receiver will then (if they have content warnings on) see a blurred image, be warned about how nude images can be harmful, have the option to delete the image before seeing it, the chance to block the number which sent the image, and the option to view the image if they choose.

With the feature finally starting to appear, it shouldn’t be long before more of us can rely on these AI-powered content warnings to help us stay safer online.

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