Automatic translation
Automatic translation makes posts and messages in foreign languages readable at the press of a button – the text is sent to a translation service for this.
What is automatic translation?
In automatic or machine translation, a computer program translates a text into another language – today usually with an AI model. In social networks a “Translate” button often appears under a post, comment or message. That way you can also read what friends or strangers wrote in a language you do not speak.
How good are the results?
The results are usually understandable but not flawless. Irony, dialect, slang, names and double meanings are easily mistranslated. For the gist of a post that is often enough; for contracts or medical and legal questions you should not rely on an automatic translation.
What happens to your text
For a translation to be made, the text has to leave your device: it goes to the network's provider and from there usually to an external translation service. With end-to-end encrypted messages that would be problematic, because the text would leave the encryption. A careful service therefore translates only on explicit request and does not offer encrypted messages for translation at all.
On Friendstime
On Friendstime, translation happens only when you tap. In the browser the “Translate” button appears under posts (from 12 characters of text), on comments and on other people's unencrypted chat messages; in the app it is called “AI translation” (posts) or “Translate” (message menu). The text goes to the Friendstime server and from there to the AI service Google Gemini; the limit is 5,000 characters per text and 30 newly generated translations per minute. Friendstime does not offer end-to-end encrypted messages for translation. The app points this out before the first translation of a chat message. Friendstime keeps translations of posts and comments in the browser in a cache so they do not have to be created anew each time.
Frequently asked questions
Is my encrypted message translated?
No. Friendstime does not offer end-to-end encrypted messages for translation, so that their text does not leave the encryption.
Where does the text go when I translate?
To Friendstime and from there to the AI service Google Gemini. That only happens when you tap “Translate”.
Can I have all posts translated automatically?
No. Friendstime translates only when you tap, one text at a time, the one you choose.
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