To protect Android users from unwanted or spam messages, Google is adding a total of five security features to its Messages app, including spam alerts. The company has indicated that these features may soon be made available to everyone. Let’s take a closer look at these five new security features.
FIVE NEW SECURITY FEATURES ARE ARRIVING IN THE UPCOMING GOOGLE MESSAGES UPDATE
In its upcoming update, Google Messages will introduce five new security measures designed to provide a safer messaging experience for users worldwide.
WARNING FOR UNKNOWN LINKS
If a message from an unfamiliar sender contains a link to a website, Google Messages will alert the user. In cases of suspicious links, the message may also be blocked. At present, this feature is being trialed in India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. This feature is expected to roll out globally by the end of this year.
BLURRING OF SENSITIVE IMAGES OR VIDEOS
Google Messages enables the sending of images or videos as part of text messages. However, explicit or sensitive content within these media can be uncomfortable for certain users. To address this, Google is introducing a feature that will blur sensitive images or videos in Messages. Furthermore, the app will alert users before they send such images or videos.
SCAM DETECTION
Google Messages has on-device scam detection technology. This feature identifies spam SMS messages. With the new addition, the Messages app will provide users with specific alerts for scam messages.
IDENTITY VERIFICATION
To reduce the risk of scams involving fake accounts under unknown names, Google Messages is introducing an identity verification feature. Once enabled, this will allow users to easily verify the identity of the sender.
Blocking International Scam Messages
With this new feature, users will be able to block messages from international numbers that they do not recognize. Such messages will be stored in a ‘Spam and Block’ folder.
More useful information about Google’s five new security features coming to Google Messages is available here.