Google Messages now blurs explicit videos in chats
Google Messages just got a privacy boost: it will now blur videos flagged as explicit in your chats before you even press play.
This Sensitive Content Warning feature, rolling out with the latest 2025 Play Services update, lets you decide if you want to view or delete the blurred video—no awkward surprises.
How the feature works
Right now, this covers images and videos (not GIFs) and works for both RCS and SMS/MMS messages.
Everything happens on your device—nothing is sent to Google's servers—which keeps things private.
The update is coming out in phases, so some Android users might see it sooner than others.
How it differs from Apple's approach
Google uses Android's SafetyCore tech to spot explicit content locally without breaking end-to-end encryption for RCS chats.
Teens with supervised accounts get protection by default; adults can opt in if they want.
While Apple's similar feature mainly helps minors, Google's covers everyone but asks adults to enable it themselves—both keep your data off company servers for extra peace of mind.