Instagram Steps Up: Meta Launches Campaign to Protect Teens from Sextortion
The app is cracking down on potentially malicious accounts attempting to connect with teenagers.
Meta Intensifies Protection Measures for Teens on Instagram
In response to growing concerns about youth safety on its platforms, Meta is beefing up its security protocols on Instagram, particularly to combat sextortion risks, enhancing safeguards against this form of exploitation.
Enhanced Efforts Against Potentially Malicious Accounts
Meta is taking steps to shield teenagers from “potentially malicious” accounts by directing follow requests from such accounts to the spam folder or blocking them outright. Additionally, a new alert will warn teens when they receive messages from these accounts, specifically if the message originates from a different country.
Strengthened Control Over Sharing Intimate Images
Furthermore, Meta is implementing measures to prevent the sharing of intimate images. Instagram will now prohibit users from taking screenshots or recording images shared through the app’s ephemeral messaging feature. These images will also no longer be accessible through Instagram’s web version. Additionally, a nudity protection feature tested earlier this year will be rolled out to all teenagers on the platform. This tool automatically blurs images where nudity is detected and provides warnings and resources if such content is identified.
Addressing the Reality of Sextortions on Instagram
The updates are designed to tackle the reality of sextortion scams, where scammers coerce teens into sending intimate images, then use those images to threaten and extort them. A report by Thorn and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) identified Instagram, along with Snapchat, as platforms most commonly used by scammers as initial points of contact.
These new measures come as Meta faces pressure to bolster safety features for its youngest users amid lawsuits from over 30 states on this issue. New Mexico is also suing the company, alleging insufficient action to prevent adults from sexually harassing teens on its apps, particularly Instagram. The safety of young users is thus becoming a critical concern for the company.