In a move to enhance digital security in India, Google has launched its Safety Charter, aiming to expand the use of artificial intelligence to detect fraud and prevent online scams. This initiative is especially crucial in India, which remains Google’s second-largest market globally.
Rising Digital Fraud in India
India has seen a sharp increase in online fraud, particularly involving the government’s real-time payment system, UPI. Official data indicates that UPI-related scams surged by 85% year-over-year in 2023, totaling nearly ₹11,000 crore. Additionally, alarming incidents like digital arrest scams and fake loan app extortion have drawn national attention to the growing threat.
What the Safety Charter Offers
The Safety Charter is designed to address these concerns by strengthening Google’s security measures in the country. As part of this initiative, the company has opened a security engineering center in India, its fourth globally after earlier ones in Europe. This new hub will work closely with Indian stakeholders, including academic institutions, startups, and government agencies, to co-develop cybersecurity and AI-based safety solutions.
Google’s Vice President of Security Engineering, Heather Adkins, highlighted three core areas the initiative will focus on:
- Combating online scams and ensuring safe user experiences
- Strengthening cybersecurity for enterprises and critical infrastructure
- Advancing the development of responsible AI technologies
Collaborations for Greater Impact
To make a broader impact, Google has partnered with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), an agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This partnership aims to increase public awareness about cybercrime and improve prevention strategies.
This builds on Google’s earlier efforts, including DigiKavach, a program launched in 2023 to help identify and block fraudulent financial and loan apps. The company is now integrating this work into its new safety-focused roadmap for India.
AI at the Core of Fraud Prevention
Globally, Google has been deploying AI tools to block millions of deceptive ads and shut down malicious ad accounts. In India, these efforts are being tailored to local challenges.
For example:
- Google Messages on Android devices now uses AI-based scam detection, reportedly blocking over 500 million suspicious messages monthly.
- Google Play Protect, which was piloted in India, has prevented nearly 60 million attempts to install harmful apps and stopped over 2.2 lakh malicious apps from running on more than 1.3 crore devices.
- Google Pay, a widely used UPI platform in India, has issued 4.1 crore scam warnings to users, helping prevent potentially fraudulent transactions.
A Long-Term Commitment to Digital Safety
Google’s establishment of a local engineering hub and ongoing collaborations with Indian authorities demonstrate a strong commitment to tackling the country’s digital safety challenges. The company says its long-term vision is to ensure that AI-powered protection systems are not only advanced but also localized to meet the specific needs of Indian users.
The Safety Charter marks a significant step in reinforcing digital trust at a time when India’s online economy continues to grow rapidly.
