this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2025

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A new Android feature is scanning your photos for 'sensitive content' - how to stop it (www.zdnet.com)

submitted 4 months ago by Sunshine@lemmy.ca to c/degoogle@discuss.tchncs.de

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[–] badbytes@lemmy.world 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Remember Google's motto about how it tries to be evil or something like that.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Stride to always do the moist evil as it will usually correlate with profit & power. If faced with two equally evil options, select the shadier one. And always ask how to make it even more evil & shadier with each iteration.
- your generic* MegaCorp

*but all of them

[–] RizzoTheSmall@lemm.ee 7 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I feel like clicking that link would make it super evident that you have 'sensitive content' to hide.

[–] DerisionConsulting@lemmy.ca 22 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It detects nudes, and a lot of people will have nudes on their devices.

The steps from the article:

So, if you wish to uninstall or disable SafetyCore, take these steps:

Open Settings: Go to your device's Settings app

Access Apps: Tap on 'Apps' or 'Apps & Notifications'

Show System Apps: Select 'See all apps' and then tap on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner to choose 'Show system apps'

Locate SafetyCore: Scroll through the list or search for 'SafetyCore' to find the app

Uninstall or Disable: Tap on Android System SafetyCore, then select 'Uninstall' if available. If the uninstall option is grayed out, you may only be able to disable it

Manage Permissions: If you choose not to uninstall the service, you can also check and try to revoke any SafetyCore permissions, especially internet access

However, some have reported that SafetyCore reinstalled itself during system updates or through Google Play Services, even after uninstalling the service. If this happens, you'll need to uninstall SafetyCore again, which is annoying.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 4 points 4 months ago

SafetyCore reinstalled itself during system updates or through Google Play Services

Big tech is essentially ran by rapists

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

This is why it's important to click on everything.

If you looked up instructions on how to make a bomb, but also on how to defuse a bomb, they will never know what your real motive is.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Wait, I just got my mom an S25 and this def isn't on it (nor is it on my phone.

... is it Play Store that installs it (starts the download and install process I mean, not actually "installs" it)?

So if Play Store is disabled while Play services are still enabled you don't get this app auto-shoved up your device?
That's nice.
(Or is it a regional thing and EU isn't on the shitlist yet?)

[–] flyingSock@feddit.org 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm in EU and had this on my phone. So maybe it is the playstore, which I still have enabled.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

May I suggest the humble Aurora Store for things only found in the swamps of Google Store?

[+] morrowind@lemmy.ml -7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

All of this happens on-device to protect your privacy and keep end-to-end encrypted message content private to only sender and recipient. Sensitive Content Warnings doesn’t allow Google access to the contents of your images, nor does Google know that nudity may have been detected. This feature is opt-in for adults, managed via Android Settings, and is opt-out for users under 18 years of age. Sensitive Content Warnings will be rolling out to Android 9+ devices including Android Go devices3 with Google Messages in the coming months.

Y'all need to chill some times

[–] Luffy879@lemmy.ml 13 points 4 months ago (2 children)

If I told you that I will give you free candy if you get into the back of my white van, would you do it?

The software is closed source, and Google has got a bad record of privacy. You really think that they won't do it another time?

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well by that logic using anything Google has ever touched would be insanely out of the question, rendering this article and thread a moot point. I get that this feature sounds sketchy but at some point paranoia should lead you to another platform rather than speculating about something just because it was brought to your attention.

[–] Macros@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 months ago

Correct. Reading the documentation this code was part of Google Messages and has now be put into a separate APK for reasons to increase transparency and safety as the app as no internet access (while google messages has) and thus it can be shown that all processing is done locally.

I also see other wild claims about it. e.g. that it consumes 2GB of RAM because its specs say that it has system requirements of 2GB RAM and so on.

There are so many Google Apps which really do send your data into the cloud. Starting from the keyboard! Attention should focus on them and not on the new unknown thing which is a great kernel for conspiracies. And because some of them can't be denied network access (Google Play services) you draw the correct conclusion: Switch platform to Lineage/Graphene/...

[–] morrowind@lemmy.ml -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If you're trying to think through it, you've got to think about incentives. Google is in the ads business. They have no reason to want your nudes. It doesn't help them sell anything to you

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

You might not understand how Google handles data (of unique users or other internet info). Their core businesses model is based on exactly that - they read & record your private data & model ads based on it.

They won't just scan your nudes, but all pics (not that nudes don't contain useful data for Google).

Maybe I'll pay Google money to show ads for my capsaicin-based talcum alternative only to people with smooth buttholes. And as I do so (for a modest amount of money per potential client) Amazon will offer you specifically my Chilly lube.

(And the "local" thing/claim is ofc bs, it can just mean they use your CPU time instead of theirs, but still get the same computed data at the end.)