Five New Protections in Google Messages to Help Keep You Safe

Every day, more than a billion people use language to communicate with each other. To safeguard our users, we’ve prioritized security, integrating cutting-edge AI-driven filters within devices and robust safeguards to shield against the staggering 2 billion malicious messages received monthly. With end-to-end encrypted You can engage in private conversations with other Google Messages RCS users. And we’re not stopping there. Dedicated to continuously expanding our suite of features and capabilities, we strive to create a safer and more personalized conversation experience within Google Messages.

1. Google Messages is introducing new safeguards against deceptive messages that may initially seem harmless but can ultimately lead to financial fraud. For We’re introducing advanced fraud detection capabilities, featuring enhanced analysis of suspicious texts, starting with a focus on package delivery and job search-related messages. When Google Messages detects potential fraudulent text content, it automatically moves the suspicious message to your spam folder or alerts you. Google Messages leverages on-device machine learning models to classify potential scams, ensuring that your conversations remain private and sensitive information is only transmitted to Google if you explicitly report suspected spam. The enhanced feature is being rolled out immediately to Google Messages beta users who have spam protection enabled.
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   For the past 12 months, we’ve been testing additional safeguards for Google Messages users who receive suspicious text messages with potentially harmful links. In India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, Google Messages takes a proactive approach to customer safety by issuing warnings when users receive links from unfamiliar senders and blocking suspicious link-based messages from unknown sources. We are currently working on a plan to expand the scope of this function internationally by the end of the year?

3. . Scammers may occasionally send fraudulent SMS texts from international phone numbers. You can quickly set up your inbox to automatically filter out messages from non-contacts, so you won’t be overwhelmed by messages from unknown or unimportant senders. If enabled, messages from worldwide non-contacts will mechanically be moved to the “Spam & blocked” folder. The expansion plans will come into fruition 12 months from now, allowing us to enter more international markets.
4. At Google, our goal is to empower customers by providing innovative solutions while keeping them accountable for their data. To help ensure a safer messaging experience, we’re introducing Delicate Content material Warnings for Google Messages.

   The Delicate Content Material Warning feature offers an optional safeguard by blurring images potentially featuring nudity, followed by a “pause” prompt that provides access to helpful resources and options, including the ability to view the content. When the feature is activated, it provides an extra layer of protection by automatically adding a delay before sending or forwarding potentially explicit content, thereby serving as a gentle reminder to customers about the risks associated with sharing such images and preventing accidental distributions.

   All processing takes place locally on the device, ensuring the utmost privacy by safeguarding end-to-end encrypted messages as a confidential secret between the sender and recipient only. Google’s Delicate Content material warnings ensure that the platform cannot access the contents of your photos, and Google itself is unaware that nudity has been identified. This feature is optional for adults, controlled through the Android settings, and defaults to being disabled for individuals under the age of 18. Delicate content warnings are now being rolled out to Android 9+ devices and select Android Go devices. Within the next few months, Google Messages will be available.

5. To shield you from insidious messaging threats where attackers attempt to masquerade as one of your connections, we’re actively developing a contact verification feature for Android devices. This feature enables users to authenticate their contact’s public keys, thereby ensuring a secure communication channel where you can confidently interact with the intended individual. Here’s the improved text: We’re developing a standardized framework for public key verification across diverse applications, allowing users to authenticate identities through QR code scanning or numerical comparison methods seamlessly. Here is the improved/revised text:

   This feature enables future-dated scheduling of up to 12 consecutive months on Android devices running version 9 and above, supporting integration with popular messaging apps including Google Messages.

   These innovative features offer enhanced protection for secure communication when sending and receiving messages, ensuring your digital safety in an increasingly interconnected world. Download the Google Play Store app from the Google Play Retailer to access these safeguards and controls and learn more about Google Messages.

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