Expect to See a Lot More Blurred Images in Google Search Results Soon

Google is using Safer Internet Day(Opens in a new window) to announce that explicit images in search results will be hidden from more users by default.

Google will blur images that are classed as pornography, violence, or gore in search results unless users adjust their filters to view them, therefore minimizing the chances of younger internet users from being exposed to them accidentally.

This isn’t a new feature exactly, as anyone under the age of 18 who is signed in with Google already had the image filter enabled by default. “In the coming months(Opens in a new window)” it will become the default setting for anyone who doesn’t have the SafeSearch filter turned on. Google Search users will be informed of the change once it has been implemented.

If you are aged 18 or over, the setting can be changed to turn the filter off completely, blur all explicit images, or adjust the types of images you want to see. There will also be the option to click a “view image” button that appears on each blurred image.

Google SafeSearch(Opens in a new window) only works for Google search results, and isn’t guaranteed to be 100% accurate. Anyone who manages their own Google account can turn it on or off, while parents and guardians can tweak the settings through the Family Link app(Opens in a new window). Administrators can do the same through Google Workspace for Education. This latest decision by Google should help ensure if none of these options are available, images are still going to be blurred until the filter setting gets changed.