Summary
It seems like Google Messages is getting an exciting new feature or update every few weeks, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Text messaging is an extremely important communication tool, but if you’ve ever received a message you didn’t want, we have good news. It looks like Google’s sensitive content filters are about to get better.
Last year, Google announced several initiatives tomake Google Messages safer. Most of those centered around spam, but the other side of things was a new “Sensitive Content Warnings” system built into the messenger. Google finally startedrolling out those content filtersin April to stop inappropriate images, and it might be ready to do something similar for videos.
Sensitive Content Warnings in Google Messages is exactly what it sounds like: an optional filter that uses on-device learning to recognize inappropriate content, like nude photos, and blocks it from appearing in a text message. Instead, a blurred image and filter alert the user, requiring an additional step to view.
This underrated feature isn’t just for incoming messages, either. Once enabled, the opt-in sensitive content system will also require an additional step to send this type of content. When a user goes to send something they probably shouldn’t, a pop-up reminds people to “make responsible decisions online”. It’s great for everyone, and more importantly, parents, and it could be coming to videos next.
Spotted byAndroid Authority, the latest version of Google Messages now has code that could enable the same type of filters on video content. However, the publication couldn’t get it working quite yet, but suspects it’ll get released to the Google Messages beta channel soon.
For now, that’s all we really know. However, with the code already inside Google Messages, it’s only a matter of time. Google could flip a server-side switch to enable it or make adjustments before rolling it out to beta testing. Either way, adding sensitive content warnings and filters to photos was a solid first step, but doing the same for videos would be even better. And again, this is an opt-in feature you may find in the settings menu.
It’s clear that Google is taking its Messages platform seriously, especially if it wants to compete with iMessage. Over the course of the last six months, we’ve received updates that add more customization, the ability todelete messages to everyonein a group chat,spam-blocking tools, and a redesigned media-sharing interface thatno one liked, to name a few.
If you’re still not using Google Messages,you’re missing out. Sure, there are more customizable alternatives, but RCS support and all these new features make it a great option for Android messaging.
