Google Messages to Strengthen Spam Protection with International Blocking and More

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📝 Key Points of This Article

• The Google Messages app appears to be getting additional anti-spam features.
• An analysis of the in-app code from the messages.android_20251212_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic update for the Google Messages app on Android has revealed the addition of a new “Hide international messages” setting, which automatically blocks messages from international numbers not in your contacts as spam, and references to the integration of “SafetyCore,” a new system component for on-device safety classification and harmful content detection.
• This could further enhance the spam detection, harmful message filtering, and content safety assessment features of the Google Messages app for Android.

It appears that Google Messages, the SMS/MMS/RCS client app for Android, will be receiving additional anti-spam features.

An analysis of the in-app code from the vmessages.android_20251212_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic update for the Google Messages app on Android, released on Monday, December 15, 2025, has confirmed the addition of a new setting called “Hide international messages,” which automatically blocks messages from international numbers not in your contacts as spam. We also found references to the integration of “SafetyCore,” a new system component for on-device safety classification and harmful content detection. This could potentially further enhance the spam detection, harmful message filtering, and content safety assessment features of the Google Messages app for Android.

• New “Hide international messages” setting

<string name="cross_country_banner_body">Messages from international numbers not in your contacts are moved to “Spam &amp; blocked”. Turn off this feature in Settings.</string>
<string name="cross_country_banner_confirm_button">Move to inbox</string>
<string name="cross_country_banner_confirm_snackbar_to_inbox">This chat was moved to inbox</string>
<string name="cross_country_banner_dismiss_button">Settings</string>
<string name="cross_country_banner_title">Why this is in Spam &amp; blocked</string>
<string name="cross_country_hide_body">To prevent spam, messages from international numbers not in your contacts are moved to “Spam &amp; blocked”. %1$s</string>
<string name="cross_country_hide_body_text_pref_key_2025_03_18">cross_country_body_text_pref_key_2025_03_18</string>
<string name="cross_country_hide_pref_key_2025_03_18">cross_country_pref_key_2025_03_18</string>
<string name="cross_country_hide_title">Hide international messages</string>

• “SafetyCore” Integration

<queries>
    ...
    <package android:name="com.google.android.safetycore"/>
    <intent>
        <action android:name="com.google.android.apps.safetycore.classification.BIND"/>
    </intent>
    ...
</queries>

“Google Messages” App Link