Google Messages to Get a New Security Feature — Will Warn Users before Clicking on Links

• While Google is yet to make an official announcement, sources suggest that the tech giant might be soon adding pop-ups to warn you against clicking links sent by unknown numbers
• Contrary to the existing one-click design, the new feature will require two clicks for you to continue, making it more effective
• The feature has already been added to the beta version of Messages

A report by PiunikaWeb suggests that Google might be planning to step up its Message security and provide a pop-up when a user tries to click on a link sent by an unknown number.

Hands down the worst thing about texting these days is the amount of spam texts we get. These spam texts usually hide a malicious link that the sender tries to lure us into. Most times we successfully ignore it, but other times, if the message is too convincing, we might be tempted to click.

By adding a new pop-up, Google is hoping to make us rethink our decision before it's too late. A popup like this will also prevent unintentional clicks, especially from the elderly.

In what's another win for privacy, Google has agreed to delete data collected from incognito mode.

Is the news fake? Is Google serious?

Google is yet to make an official announcement about this feature, but PiunikaWeb says they received a secret tip from AssembleDebug (a popular code investigator). They found some hidden codes that might confirm Google's plans.

Here's a glimpse of what it might look like:

The feature has already been added to the beta version of Google Messages (20240402_01_RCO0 or newer). So, it might be added to the main version for testers soon.

Why is Google making this update?

Google already has an existing pop-up model to stop you from clicking on unknown links. However, that only requires you to click on Continue" once to proceed.

The new pop-up will have two steps. As you can see in the screenshot, the additional pop-up will read Caution: this sender isn't one of your contacts' and to proceed, you will have to click on Continue with possible risk'. The extra step will act as an effective barrier.

Recently, Google has rammed up the security on Messages. The company wants to push RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages instead of traditional SMS because it offers a better user experience.

However, RCS messages have paved the way for more promotional and spam texts - something that users clearly don't like. So, to keep pushing RCS while protecting users from unwanted texts, Google has amped up the security.

Previously, Google banned RCS from rooted phones due to increased scams.

Another reason behind Google being so serious about RCS security might be the fact that right now most Android users use WhatsApp as their primary texting platform. However, with these new security measures in place, Google's messaging app might become more mainstream.

Also, the timing of the update is incredible because Apple is planning to add RCS to iPhones this year. This will allow iPhone users to text Android users with iMessage-like features.

Read more: Google calls for stricter regulations against spyware firms

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