Google Messages is now working to repair a Profile discovery privateness threat that has been round since Google launched the characteristic final 12 months. The favored RCS messaging app for Android has been gaining recognition lately and an increasing number of firms are selecting it over different messenger apps.
With the rise in recognition, Google Messages is evolving to satisfy the wants and expectations of customers higher. Again in November 2023, Google introduced Profiles, which allowed folks to search out different profiles.
The characteristic itself isn’t out there to everyone but (it’s been rolling out to customers considerably sporadically), and now, the parents at Android Authority have found that Google is engaged on fixing privateness issues round profile discovery.
Digging into the code of Google Messages v20241010 beta, Android Authority discovered adjustments that may give customers extra management over who can see their title and profile image. Proper now, as a part of the Profile Discovery characteristic, you’ll be able to select to make use of the title out of your profile or a brief title and present or disguise your profile image.
However when this replace turns into official, you’ll have new choices inside Google Messages for profile privateness and visibility. Listed here are the sharing choices you’ll probably get in your profile photograph and your title:
- Individuals you message: Probably, this feature will present your title and profile photograph to folks you’ve messaged, whether or not or not they’re in your contact listing. This most definitely can be what a “Public” profile on social media is. That is the characteristic you’d use if you wish to be discovered by folks after they search for your quantity via Profile Discovery.
- Solely your contacts: Straightforwardly, this implies your title and profile photograph can be proven solely to folks in your contacts.
- Nobody: Seemingly, your title and photograph can be hidden from anybody.
Reportedly, these new choices can be proven to you if you log into Google Messages for the primary time as soon as the replace has been rolled out. It is possible for you to to alter this setting via the “Your profile” choice within the account switcher after that as effectively.
For now, it’s not clear whether or not selecting the “Nobody” choice means you flip off profile discovery options. Nevertheless, providing these choices is an effective way to make sure that privacy-focused people won’t be involved with Profile Discovery options.
For the second, needless to say you continue to can not set a distinct profile image or title for Google Messages, and the app takes the image and title out of your Google account. Hopefully, Google will work on that characteristic too.
After nearly a full 12 months after the Profiles announcement although, the characteristic isn’t rolled out to everybody simply but. It’s nice although that Google is fixing privateness issues forward of a wider rollout.