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Google secretly installs a system that scans your pictures – how you can turn it off Google is in a new privacy scandal after it was discovered that it had installed a system called SafetyCore on Android phones that can scan images from the device without users being informed. Although the company claims that this system is meant to improve user safety and that processing is done strictly on the device, the lack of transparency raises questions.

SafetyCore is a software component that allows you to scan content on your phone to identify messages, images or other items that are considered sensitive. Appropriate Google, this system is designed to protect users from harmful content such as spam, scams or inappropriate material. Unlike other similar technologies, SafetyCore does not send data to Google servers, operating exclusively on the device.

However, the main problem is not its functionality, but the lack of clear notification to users. Many people only discovered this feature after SafetyCore was already active on their phones. According to ZDNet, if you have a recently released Android device or have done a software update after October 2023, you already have SafetyCore installed.

Google and Meta, ”at war” with the European Commission: The problem of Mark Zuckerberg and the American tech giants with Brussels This approach is reminiscent of the recent controversy surrounding Apple, when it was learned that iOS was scanning users' photos to recognize tourist attractions, without this having been clearly announced. Although both companies claim that their technologies are safe and respect users' privacy, the secrecy with which such features are introduced raises concerns.

SafetyCore is not open-source – why is it a problem? Another aspect criticized by security experts is the fact that SafetyCore is not open-source, which means that no one outside of Google can check exactly what this system does. Developers at GrapheneOS, a secure version of Android, have confirmed that SafetyCore does not send data to Google, but they pointed out that it would have been better if the system had been open-source, thus allowing greater transparency.

This lack of transparency leads to speculation and fears about the use of SafetyCore. Some users on technical forums categorized the app as „spyware”, claiming that it could collect data such as call history, contact list or location. Although Google denies these allegations and insists that SafetyCore is only a local security mechanism, the company's reputation for data collection does not help gain user trust.

In addition to privacy issues, another important aspect is that SafetyCore has been installed and activated without users giving their consent. This practice is considered problematic, as any significant change affecting users' privacy should be clearly communicated prior to implementation.

How to disable or remove SafetyCore from your phone If you don't trust Google and don't want SafetyCore running on your phone, you have the option to turn it off or even remove it completely. According to security experts, to stop this system you must follow the steps below:

Go to your phone settings – goes to the „Settings” menu of your Android device. Navigate to „Applications” – scrolls the list until you find the „Apps” or „Manage Apps” option. Search „SafetyCore” – in the list of system applications, search for „Android System SafetyCore”. Disable or uninstall the app – depending on your phone model and Android version, you will have the option to disable the app or in some cases even remove it completely. If you can't find this option or your phone doesn't allow uninstalling, you can try restricting the app's permissions to limit its access to your data.

Google claims that users have full control over SafetyCore and can manually stop scanning images, but the absence of an initial notification has led to a loss of confidence in this claim. If Google wants to implement such technologies without causing negative reactions, it should clearly communicate to users what is changing on their devices and offer the option to accept or refuse to enable these features.

In conclusion, the lesson that both Google and Apple should learn from these controversies is simple: transparency is essential. If you want to turn users' phones into AI-powered devices, let them know first and give them the ability to decide for themselves what features they want to use. Otherwise, the lack of trust in big tech companies will only increase.