The recently launched “sensitive content warnings” feature is now available for all users of Google Messages. As highlighted by 9to5Google, this setting identifies images that may contain nudity and applies a blur effect to those pictures prior to viewing. This empowers users to decide whether or not they wish to see the image, providing a safeguard against unwanted explicit content.

When an image is blurred, users have several options. They can access a Google help page to understand the reasoning behind image blurring, block the sender’s number, exit the message, or proceed to view the image. To view it, users will simply click “Next,” followed by a choice between “No, don’t view” or “Yes, view.”

This feature also serves as a precaution for users attempting to send images that contain nudity. As per the sensitive content warnings page, Google Messages will notify you about the potential risks before sending such images. Users will then need to confirm their intention to send the image manually.

The implementation of sensitive content warnings is intended to protect user privacy, as stated by Google. There may be curiosity regarding the operational mechanics of this feature. One might question if images are processed externally for nudity verification, which would potentially compromise privacy. However, Google assures users that all analysis occurs locally on their devices, meaning that no images or chat messages are sent to the cloud or analyzed externally; the necessary processing is entirely conducted by the device itself.