Google has been working on smart displays for a long time and not only equips them with new features but also improves security – but this time they may have gone a step too far. Due to new internal security guidelines, some tablet users can no longer use the integrated browser. Google’s SafeSearch requirement is to blame.
SafeSearch is an integral part of the Chrome browser and can also be found in browsers from some other manufacturers. Every URL accessed is compared with Google’s huge database and the user may be warned before visiting a website.
Practical, but can also be deactivated. It’s a bit different with smart displays because they obviously have an increased need for protection and have therefore declared SafeSearch to be the standard, which must be on board as a fixed requirement.
That wouldn’t be too bad, but unfortunately, Google’s platform is very restrictive with the new specifications: If SafeSearch is not available, the browser can no longer be used. And because it cannot be used on some older Smart Displays, such as the Lenovo Smart Display, the browser is inoperable.
All that can be seen is the error message visible above, which succinctly indicates that the display of websites has been deactivated. It is said that this can be circumvented in a roundabout way (no child account in the family and digital wellness deactivated), but that has not worked for a single user. And even if it were, that wouldn’t be a viable solution.
Workaround: Use your smartphone
Many users won’t like that, and Google’s workaround is also more of a joke: You offer the option of sending the URL to a smartphone in order to call up the websites there.