To combat the rise of sextortion scams on its platform, Instagram has introduced several new safety measures. These updates aim to protect teenage users from online predators and provide them with the tools to stay safe.
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| Instagram is taking action to protect teenage users from sextortion scams. The app is implementing new features to identify and block suspicious accounts, limit the spread of intimate images, and provide warnings to young users. Image Courtesy: TikTok |
Meta, Instagram's parent company, has announced a series of new features designed to protect teenage users from sextortion scams. The app is taking a more aggressive stance against "potentially scammy" accounts that attempt to connect with minors. These updates come amidst growing concerns about the company's handling of user safety and privacy, especially among younger demographics.
One of the key changes involves stricter measures against suspicious accounts. Instagram will now send follow requests from such accounts to users' spam folders or block them entirely. Additionally, teens will receive alerts when they receive messages from these accounts, warning them of the potential scam.
Meta is also working to limit the spread of intimate images. The app will no longer allow users to screenshot or screen record images shared over direct messages, and these images can no longer be opened from the web version of Instagram. A nudity protection feature, which automatically blurs explicit images, is now being expanded to all teen users.
These updates address a significant issue highlighted in a report by Thorn and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The report found that Instagram and Snapchat were the most common platforms used by scammers to initiate sextortion scams.
Meta's efforts to combat sextortion scams are part of a broader push to improve safety features for younger users. The company is facing increasing scrutiny and legal challenges related to its handling of user data and protection from harmful content. While these new measures are a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen how effective they will be in preventing these harmful scams.