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Tag: contacts

  • Indosat’s AI-Driven Shield: Blocking 200 Million Spam & Scam Contacts in 90 Days!

    Indosat’s AI-Driven Shield: Blocking 200 Million Spam & Scam Contacts in 90 Days!

    Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) has announced significant success in the initial months following the launch of its AI-powered Anti-Spam and Anti-Scam feature. Just three months after its introduction, the feature has blocked hundreds of millions of potential digital fraud attempts. Launched on August 7, 2025, the tool has intercepted more than 200 million potentially harmful calls, flagged over 90 million dubious messages, and safeguarded an average of 11.5 million customers per month from possible scams.

    Artificial Intelligence Meets 5G

    This anti-fraud feature is a key component of Indosat’s AIvolusi5G program, an initiative that combines the power of artificial intelligence with cutting-edge 5G technology to enhance the safety and dependability of the network. This system works automatically on a network level, screening calls and messages for possible fraudulent activities. This does not necessitate the installation of additional applications or the use of specific devices by customers.

    According to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance’s 2025 State of Scams in Indonesia report, 66% of Indonesian adults have been the target of scam attempts in the past year, with 14% suffering financial losses totaling IDR 49 trillion (USD 3.3 billion). The majority of these scams have taken place through direct-messaging channels like SMS and chat platforms.

    Impressive Results

    Indosat’s internal data has revealed that the company’s VoLTE network alone has detected over 290 million spam calls. When expanded to encompass Indosat’s entire customer base, this results in more than 500 million identified scam and spam calls and messages within just two and a half months. Additionally, the system has flagged over 145 million spam and scam messages, which includes 110 million confirmed fraudulent messages.

    Bilal Khazmi, Director and Chief Commercial Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, commented on the results, saying: “Our technology is designed to help customers of all age groups navigate the digital world with increased confidence. By offering fast connectivity, accessible products, and robust protection, we remain dedicated to delivering superior digital experiences that connect and empower every Indonesian.”

    While the system has not managed to block all malicious communications, Indosat has noted that its early warning alerts have contributed to reducing financial losses and increasing public awareness of online threats. Customers receive alerts about potentially harmful numbers or messages before they interact with them, enabling them to take preventative measures.

    Indosat’s approach to cybersecurity follows the Zero Trust principle, which emphasizes verification over trust assumptions. This principle forms the foundation of Indosat’s efforts to combine technological safeguards with continuous digital literacy programs.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the AIvolusi5G program?
    The AIvolusi5G program is an initiative by Indosat that merges artificial intelligence with 5G technology to improve the security and reliability of their network.

    What is the primary goal of Indosat’s Anti-Spam and Anti-Scam feature?
    The primary goal of this feature is to protect customers from potential digital fraud attempts by screening calls and messages for suspicious activity.

    How does Indosat’s cybersecurity approach work?
    Indosat follows the Zero Trust principle, prioritizing verification over trust assumptions. This approach underpins their efforts to combine technological safeguards with ongoing digital literacy programs.

  • Google Contacts could soon get a home screen widget that displays text messages

    Google Contacts could soon get a home screen widget that displays text messages

    Aside from the occasionally added new functionality, Google Contacts isn’t an app that is known for getting frequent updates. However, there is one update that is possibly on the way, which will add a nifty new home screen widget and a fresh user interface.

    By flipping a few developer flags in the app’s version 4.26, @AssembleDebug from TheSPAndroid was able to identify these changes. While these features are currently in the testing phase and there is no timeline currently available for deployment, we can get a sneak peek at what was found hidden in the code.

    The first noticeable change is the design change on the main Contacts screen. The familiar phone, email, and company icons will now be tucked away behind a three-dot menu. This change clears space for a brand new “+” icon in the search bar, allowing users to add contacts easier when on the go.

    Additionally, interacting with contact details like email and labels now opens a convenient bottom sheet for options instead of the traditional sidebar accessed by the hamburger menu. This new approach offers a cleaner, more intuitive way to navigate your contacts.

    But perhaps the most noticeable change is the addition of a widget that will allow users to see text conversations from selected contacts directly on their home screen. When the feature is rolled out to your device, you will need to grant the Contacts app the necessary permission to fully display your messages, since they will now be more easily accessible to prying eyes.

    As with many Google updates, especially ones that are still being tested and have yet to be announced, the rollout schedule is very TBD. Usually, updates such as these are reserved for Pixel feature drops. If all goes well and no significant bugs are found while testing, it is possible that we could see this roll out around April, but that is just some good old speculation on our part.

  • Google Contacts app can lead you to the location of friends and family members

    Google Contacts app can lead you to the location of friends and family members

    How would you like to find out a friend or family member’s current location from your Google Contacts app? It sounds pretty cool, right? Android users are beginning to get this feature pushed out to them by Google in version 4.22.37.586680692 of the Google Contacts app. My Pixel 6 Pro running Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 has yet to receive this update.

    You can check to see which version of the Contacts app your Android phone is running by going to Settings > Apps and scrolling to Contacts. Tap on Contacts to see the App info page. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and at the very bottom of the screen, the app’s version number will appear. If you don’t have the necessary version running on your phone, there is no need to panic. You’ll get it in due time.

    Now there are some important instructions. This feature is available to you only for those contacts who share their location with you in Google Maps and whose Gmail address you have on their Contacts card. If so, you’ll see a small part of the bottom of the screen dedicated to Google Maps-Location sharing. This will reveal whether the other party can see your location and if so, for how long they will be able to do so.

    A button that says Maps will appear on this portion of the Contacts card. Tap on it and you can see the person’s location in Google Maps. Besides making sure that your Contacts card for a specific friend or family member includes his/her Gmail address, and that the person shares his/her Google Maps location with you, you must use the Google Contacts app on your Android phone and not one offered by the manufacturer of your phone.

    If your Android phone isn’t using Google Contacts, you can find the app in the Play Store by tapping on this link. And the beauty of this feature is that once you find the location of your friend or family member on Google Maps, one tap will give you directions to his/her location.

  • Contacts is the latest Google app allowing you to switch accounts

    Contacts is the latest Google app allowing you to switch accounts

    Google has been making it easier for users with multiple Google accounts to quickly switch between them on several of its apps. Google Maps and Drive both allow you to swipe up or down from the avatar in the top right-hand corner (with your photo or initial) to quickly change to the next Google account in queue. So instead of tapping on the avatar to see the different accounts you can choose from and then selecting one to switch to, you can save time by using the new gesture.

    This feature is now available on version 3.8.3 of Google Contacts, and after swiping through each of your Google accounts, it will give you the opportunity to see the contacts from all of your accounts in one list. This shows up as an avatar that looks like two pawns from a chessboard. When you swap between accounts on Maps, the only thing that changes is the avatar. On Drive and with Contacts, the appropriate menu slides out from the side as the avatar changes.

    Truthfully, you will save some time by switching between accounts this way. This is another example of Google not sitting back on its laurels and looking to improve Android and its apps with every chance it gets.