Instagram has announced a series of new safety features aimed at protecting young users from the rising threat of sextortion.
In a recent update, the platform revealed measures designed to shield teens from potential scammers, including the ability to hide followers and following lists.
New Safety Features
In its statement, Instagram emphasized its commitment to combating sextortion, stating,
Today, we’re announcing new measures in our fight against these criminals – including new safety features to further help prevent sextortion on our apps
The features are part of a broader campaign informed by organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Thorn, and Childnet.
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These updates aim to empower parents and equip them with tools to support their teens in avoiding scams.
Key Measures
- Hiding Followers and Following Lists: Instagram will restrict accounts that exhibit suspicious behavior from accessing users’ followers or following lists. This move aims to limit scammers’ ability to exploit these lists for blackmail.
- Blocking Suspicious Accounts: The platform will block follow requests from accounts that show signs of being scammers. Depending on the account’s credibility, Instagram may either block the request entirely or send it to a teen’s spam folder.
- Screenshot Prevention: To enhance privacy, Instagram will prevent users from taking screenshots or screen recordings of ephemeral images or videos sent through Direct Messages (DMs). This feature means that if someone shares a photo or video using the “view once” or “allow replay” feature, recipients will not be able to save it without consent.
- Nudity Protection Feature: Following initial testing, Instagram is rolling out a nudity protection feature that automatically blurs images containing nudity in DMs for users under 18. This feature will be enabled by default and will warn users about the risks of sharing sensitive images.
- Educational Resources: Instagram plans to introduce an in-app public service announcement (PSA) aimed at educating teens about sextortion scams. This initiative includes partnerships with influencers to create content that helps young users recognize and respond to potential threats.
Background on Sextortion
Sextortion is an alarming trend where scammers target young adults and teens, threatening to expose intimate images unless they receive money or gifts.
Reports indicate that instances of this crime have surged dramatically in recent years, with NCMEC noting a 300% increase in attempted sextortion cases from 2021 to 2023.
By implementing these measures and collaborating with child safety organizations, Instagram aims not only to protect its users but also to foster a safer online environment where parents can feel more equipped to support their teens.
As these features roll out globally, the platform continues its commitment to enhancing user safety and combating online exploitation effectively.
