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Google Search is now blurring explicit images for everyone

Earlier this year Google announced that Search would start, by default, enabling a SafeSearch setting that blurs sexually explicit images and content that appears in search results. Now, the company is confirming that the change has been rolled out.

In a blog post today regarding parental controls and keeping kids safe online in the Asia Pacific region, Google also confirmed that its change to blur content in Search is now rolled out to “everyone.”

The adjustment doesn’t change anything for Google Search besides its default settings. Now, all Google accounts will see their SafeSearch settings adjust to blur content that is sexually explicit, contains graphic violence, or has similar inappropriate or sensitive content. This applies to Google accounts, supervised or not, as well as those using the site signed out or in an incognito mode.

Google explains:

Parents can activate age-appropriate content restrictions on Google Play and Search via Family Link. Or, another useful feature is SafeSearch— which is on by default for signed-in users under 18 and helps filter inappropriate, explicit and mature content. Its new blurring setting, which is now available to everyone, automatically blurs explicit imagery — such as adult or graphic violent content — by default when it appears in Search results.

The new default setting can be easily changed, though. Users who are signed out or using an unsupervised Google Account can simply opt to turn off SafeSearch, or opt to filter explicit results from view entirely.

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Avatar for Ben Schoon Ben Schoon

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.


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