Google's Silent Android Feature Scans Photos for Sensitive Content

Last year, Google rolled out a system service to Android phones and tablets called Android System SafetyCore. It came with no new icon on the home screen, no warning, and no "Do you want this?" screen. It just appeared one night, running in the background.

Google describes SafetyCore as an "Android system component that provides common infrastructure that apps can use to protect users from unwanted content." That vague description left many people, including me, confused. So, what's it look like in practice? SafetyCore powers Sensitive Content Warnings in Google Messages, which can detect and blur images in your chats that may contain nudity, then show a warning before you view or even share them yourself.

Google stressed that it processes all warnings on your device, and that your warnings and images are "not shared with Google." SafetyCore isn't limited to nudity detection. Google said it provides "privacy-preserving, on-device support" for Android safety features, and could be used to help warn users about a range of "unwanted content," such as spam, scams, and malware. Security researchers have confirmed that SafetyCore runs locally.

The team behind GrapheneOS, an AOSP-based, security-focused distro, verified on X that SafetyCore isn't reporting things to "Google or anyone else." Google also reminded ZDNET that users can control SafetyCore and said it only works "when an app requests it through an optionally enabled feature." The rollout raised concerns about privacy and consent. One Play Store user wrote in 2025, "This is spyware. Installed without consent or notifying users." One Redditor likened it to a "virus installed through a backdoor by Google," and said it's the "complete opposite of safety, transparency, and privacy." To find SafetyCore, you have to dig through settings.

Here's how to uninstall it: open the Settings app, scroll down and tap Apps, tap "See all apps," then open the three-dot menu and choose Show system. Scroll through the list or use the search button to find SafetyCore, then tap Uninstall. If you want to keep SafetyCore running but disable Sensitive Content Warnings in Google Messages, open Google Messages, tap your profile picture, and go to Messages settings > Protection and safety > Manage sensitive content warnings.

A Google spokesperson told ZDNET, "By default, Google System services automatically update your device with security, bug fixes, and new features. Some updates are delivered via system services in separate Android packages. This maintains privacy, security, and data isolation following the principle of least privilege because permissions are not shared with other functionality." Why this matters: The introduction of SafetyCore highlights the delicate balance between user privacy and device security.