This morning I noticed that an app was silently installed on my device. Android System Safetycore.
So what is this app for? Supposedly it is designed to blur any images that are sent to or from you the user.
Android Authority Article Snippet
Sensitive Content Warnings is another new Google Messages feature that Google is announcing today. It’s a feature that gives you more control over seeing and sending images that may contain nudity. Sensitive Content Warning blurs images that may contain nudity before viewing them, and it then prompts you with a “speed bump” that contains “help-finding resources and options, including to view the content.” When it’s enabled and you try to send or forward an image that may contain nudity, Google Messages will also show a “speed bump” that reminds you of the risks of sending nude imagery. - Android Authority
The feature seems to be geared towards google messages.
However why this needed to be a seperate app isn’t really known. Why not just a feature within the google messages app? Google gives no explanation.
Another Android Authority Snippet
Warnings check runs entirely on-device, it didn’t mention that it will actually be powered by an entirely separate app and not Google Messages itself. - Android Authority
Google claims it runs entirely on your phone. Whether that’s true? ¯_(ツ)_/¯
According to my device, the app can have internet access restricted to it (via phone settings) implying that the app does have internet access. Any apps that dont have internet access wouldn’t be in my settings list for restricting network access.
Here’s the developer page. Not much in terms of detail going on there.
Here is the app on Play store with its further lacking detail and currently plunging reviews. Interestingly it seems the app has many good odd sounding reviews. Furthermore, all the new reviews are very negative. The app was 3.8 this morning. Plunging.
The whole concept of the feature isn’t a bad one. However, I certainly dont wish for it to be automatically installed on my device as a seperate app. A feature that is supposedly for a messaging platform that I don’t even have activated on my device.
I removed it myself as it can be uninstalled. It doesn’t show up on play store by search, however you can look up the app link online and get a direct link to it. Which I put here.
Spyware? A helpful feature? I don’t want it on my phone anyways.
(Yes this is a repost, I hope it isn’t considered spam. Yes I did also delete the original one :/ . Goodnight 🥱!)
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Do not want! But I don’t see it on my phone, at least so far. Fairly stock Moto G series with Android 14.
Oh thank you! Had it on my phone without any notifications or anything else to tell me that!
Am an EU resident, so that’s very worrisome to say the least.
Entirely on my phone?
Why did my firewall ask if I wanted to allow it internet access?
It needs fresh dick hashes for up to date dick recognition
I don’t see it on my dumb phone
Say it with me, peeps. Tenant on your own land!
And then I praise microg / LineageOS
I am using both and this somehow made it to my phone, wtaf
If you have play services installed. You will get it.
I don’t have it on a phone a with play services.
I’m also in the EU in case that matters
I’m in EU and I have it. was able to uninstall though.
Well then, that’s pretty impressive. I don’t know the answer to that
Seems other commentators outside USA are saying similar things.
If true, I wouldn’t trust this app at all, because it just be breaking GDPR somehow
Doesn’t even appear to exist for me in the UK. Yay?
It didn’t appear in my apps list and yet if I looked at the link to the play store it said it was installed… maybe double check you don’t have it by looking it up on the play store as well. Fishy to say the least
On my phone it was not installed (Android version 14). I even don’t find it in google play store. Is this because of the Android version or are there maybe regional differences?
I wonder if it’s a 15 thing. I updated to 15 last week, and sure enough, it was in my system apps. Easy enough to install, but what the fuck. I really need to get myself a pixel and install GOS.
In other news, Google wants to scan all your messenger images.
It says no permissions required and has used no data on mine.
I froze it anyway because I didn’t ask for it, but I don’t think it’s malicious.
Yup, found on my phone yesterday.
It also claimed that i was part of the beta program, which is probably how they back-doored it in, so make sure you leave the beta program to keep it from coming back.
Wow, thanks for this. I do have it sneakily installed by Google to my phone, without my knowledge or consent. If that ain’t malware behavior, idk what that is.
Hmm, don’t seem to have it on my GrapheneOS phone. :)
Ditto
As long as it just concern Google Messages I’m fine since I don’t ever use that
Seems weird to have a separate app read sent and received messages? Is it poking holes in the Messages app sandbox?
Lots of apps are able to interact with your text messages. Many apps are able to intercept one time passcode messages when registering accounts for instance.
It’s also not weird to separate this if they intend for it to be able to be used in other areas as well.
Just because it may be used only by Messages right now, doesn’t mean that it’s intended to only be used there.
