Google Starts Scanning Your Photos—3 Billion Users Must Now Decide
Google's latest move has sparked a heated debate among users, as the company begins scanning photos on Android phones with its new SafetyCore technology. This move is part of Google Messages' updated feature that provides sensitive content warnings and blurs nude images on Android devices.
The news comes as a shock to many users, who are still reeling from Google's previous introduction of photo scanning technology to Android phones without their explicit permission. At the time, Google assured users that SafetyCore was an enabling framework and would not start scanning photos or other content. However, this promise has been put to the test with the latest update.
GrapheneOS, a hardener for Android devices, backs up Google's claim that SafetyCore "doesn't provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else." Instead, it provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc.
However, GrapheneOS also expresses concern that the technology is not open source and released as part of the Android Open Source Project. The company's CEO stated, "We'd have no problem with having local neural network features for users, but they'd have to be open source."
The Google Messages update was expected, but the question now is what comes next. As WhatsApp also introduces its own AI-powered feature, users are left wondering if their data will be safe.
WhatsApp's New AI Feature Raises Concerns
WhatsApp's new AI-powered feature has raised concerns among users, who are worried about the potential for data harvesting and privacy breaches. The platform claims that its AI is optional and can answer questions, teach ideas, or help come up with new ones.
"We think giving people these options is a good thing and we're always listening to feedback from our users," WhatsApp stated, but this response only adds to the debate.
Google's Gemini AI Can Still Be Disabled
In contrast to WhatsApp's unremovable feature, Google's Gemini AI can be disabled in Google Messages. To do so, users simply need to toggle off the "Show Gemini button" setting. This provides a more streamlined chat experience and allows users to maintain their privacy.
Advanced Chat Privacy on WhatsApp
WhatsApp has also released an advanced privacy setting for chats, which prevents others from exporting chats, auto-downloading media to their phone, and using messages for AI features. This new setting provides greater confidence that no one can take what is being said outside the chat.
The Brave New World of "Big Brother" AI
As we move forward in this brave new world of AI, it's essential to consider the implications on user privacy and data protection. With Google and WhatsApp leading the charge, users must remain vigilant and take control of their own data.
Google's SafetyCore technology raises questions about what is considered acceptable when it comes to data collection and sharing. As we navigate this complex landscape, one thing is clear: users have the power to make informed decisions about their data and choose the options that best suit their needs.