You could have just lately stumbled upon an app known as “Android System SafetyCore” in your battery stats or whereas digging by means of app permissions. It sounds vital and a bit scary, but it surely’s not as worrisome as you would possibly assume.

What’s Android System SafetyCore?

The truth that dad and mom must grapple with is you possibly can’t merely maintain children offline perpetually. That is why Android gives parental controls, like Google Household Hyperlink, however these do not at all times tackle the dangers related to receiving delicate photographs. That is the place Google’s new Delicate Content material Warnings by way of the Android System SafetyCore app are available in.

These warnings, coming to Google Messages, had been announced in October 2024. The concept is to establish and blur doubtlessly nude photographs earlier than they’re considered. The recipient then encounters what Google calls a “velocity bump” with sources and choices, together with the selection to view the content material. The identical “velocity bump” seems when sending, receiving, or forwarding the offending photographs. This characteristic is non-obligatory for adults however might be opt-out for minors.

Behind the scenes, the brand new Android System SafetyCore app powers these warnings. This app, which individuals have just lately been noticing seem on their units, is described as a “system service that gives security options for Android units.” It is designed to supply on-device safety whereas preserving person privateness–”on-device” being the vital half to notice.

What Does not It Do?

As folks have began to note the SafetyCore app showing on their units, there’s been confusion about what it really does. Some have claimed it is just like when Apple was scanning all images on iPhones within the title of CSAM detection–but that never actually happened.

In actuality, SafetyCore is basically Google’s model of Apple’s Communication Safety feature in iMessage. On-device AI-powered classification is used to detect doubtlessly undesirable content material, similar to nude photographs. It doesn’t report again to Google or anybody else, and it doesn’t scan each picture in your cellphone–solely these being communicated by means of the Messages app.

SafetyCore will not be a compulsory characteristic, both. You possibly can seek for it within the Play Retailer or discover it in your cellphone’s system settings underneath “Apps” and uninstall it.

It is comprehensible to be alarmed when a brand new app that appears to scan photographs seems in your Android cellphone. The excellent news is there would not look like something scary occurring with the SafetyCore app. Apple has been doing the identical factor since iOS 15.2 with little fanfare. Every little thing occurs in your machine, however you possibly can opt-out if you happen to do not prefer it.