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How do the SafetyMode content filters levels work?

Updated over a week ago

Each of the five filters can be set to one of four filter levels.

As you move up the levels, SafetyMode blocks a wider range of content. That means that a higher filter level will block a wider range of content, including more borderline or suggestive material, not just the most extreme examples.

Quick comparison:

Safe

Blocks the clearest harmful, abusive, explicit, or nude content.

Strict

Blocks everything in Safe, plus more suggestive images and more offensive or inappropriate language.

Max

Blocks everything in Strict, plus a wider range of lower-level, ambiguous, or sexualised content.

None

No text or image filtering.

Safe

Safe is designed to catch the most obvious harmful or explicit content, while avoiding unnecessary blocking of normal day-to-day content.

Best for:

Older children and teens who use the internet more independently, where parents want strong protection from clearly harmful or explicit content without over-blocking everyday content.

Text filtering at Safe

Safe is designed to catch the worst kinds of harmful text.

Text Safe will usually block:

  • aggressive insults aimed directly at someone

  • very explicit sexual language

  • graphic obscene language

  • serious threats

  • serious bullying

  • extreme hateful abuse

Text Safe will usually allow:

  • mild slang

  • lower-level rudeness

  • everyday arguments that are not strongly abusive

  • non-explicit swearing in some contexts

Image filtering at Safe

Safe is designed to block clear nudity and explicit sexual imagery.

Images Safe will usually block:

  • pornographic images

  • nude selfies

  • full nudity

  • explicit adult images where intimate body parts are clearly visible

Images Safe will usually allow:

  • everyday dressed photos

  • most non-sexual social media images

  • most swimwear photos

  • standard fashion photography where there is no clear nudity

Strict

Strict is more sensitive than Safe. Everything filtered by the Safe filter is also filtered by the Strict filter, except the strict filter goes further.

It is intended to reduce exposure to both serious abuse and more common offensive or inappropriate content.

Strict is designed to catch more awkward, suggestive, or sexualised imagery, not just full nudity.

Best for:

Younger teens, or families who want stronger protection from borderline or suggestive content as well as clearly harmful material.

Text filtering at Strict

Strict is designed to catch a wider range of harmful or offensive language, not just the worst examples.

Text Strict will usually block:

  • clearer bullying or repeated insults

  • stronger rude or abusive language

  • more obscene or sexual language

  • more hateful or threatening language

  • more borderline harmful content that Safe might let through

Text Strict may also block:

  • more heated arguments

  • stronger swearing

  • sexual jokes or crude comments

  • language that feels degrading or humiliating, even if it is not extremely severe

Image filtering at Strict

Strict includes everything in Safe, and also blocks more covered or implied nudity.

Images Strict will usually block:

  • underwear and lingerie images

  • suggestive images where intimate areas are covered but clearly emphasised

  • some bikini or swimwear images

  • sexualised fashion or influencer content

  • images that strongly imply nudity without full exposure

Images Strict will usually allow:

  • many ordinary family or social photos

  • everyday clothing and non-sexual images

  • some standard sports, beach, or fashion images, depending on context

Max

Max is the most cautious setting. It is designed to block not only clearly harmful or explicit content, but also more ambiguous or borderline harmful content.

Best for:

Younger children, or families who want the strongest possible level of filtering and the lowest chance of explicit or sexualised content getting through.

Text filtering at Max

Max is designed to catch milder offensive language as well as stronger harmful content.

Text Max will usually block:

  • milder bullying and rude insults

  • more swearing and obscene language

  • more sexual or graphic wording

  • hateful or threatening language at a lower threshold

  • content that feels inappropriate even if it is not extremz

Text Max may also block:

  • jokes or teasing that use offensive language

  • messages that are rude rather than deeply abusive

  • low-level crude or vulgar content

  • content that may be context-dependent but still inappropriate for younger users

Image filtering at Max

Max is the strongest setting for image filtering. It blocks clear nudity, covered nudity, and a wider range of images that may appear sexualised or involve high body exposure.

Images Max will usually block:

  • all clear nudity

  • lingerie and underwear imagery

  • many swimwear images

  • suggestive or sexualised poses

  • some artistic nude photography

  • some fitness, dance, or fashion content with high skin exposure

  • some minimal-clothing imagery, even where the image is not explicitly sexual

Because Max is intentionally cautious, it is more likely to block some images that are not intended to be sexual.

Images Max might block:

  • some sportswear or gym images

  • some beach or poolside images

  • some cropped, sleeveless, or revealing outfits

  • some fashion and performance imagery

None

At this level, SafetyMode does not block text or images based on harmful or explicit content rules.

Best for:

Families who do not want filtering switched on.

What to expect:

  • Messages are not filtered for bullying, swearing, threats, or explicit language

  • Images are not filtered for nudity or sexualised content

If Save screenshots or Send me emails are enabled, there will generally be nothing to record or notify for this category because filtering is not active.

Still unsure which level to choose?

Choose Safe if:

  • your child is older and uses the internet more independently

  • you mainly want to block the clearest harmful or explicit content

  • you want a lighter-touch setting that avoids over-blocking

Choose Strict if:

  • you want stronger protection from rude, suggestive, or sexualised content

  • your child is younger, or you want fewer borderline images and messages to get through

  • you are comfortable with slightly broader filtering

Choose Max if:

  • your child is younger

  • you want the strongest level of protection available

  • you are happy for the filter to be more cautious, even if that means some normal content is blocked too

Next steps:

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