Instagram Implements New Measures to Protect Teens from Sextortion

Instagram is set to introduce a range of features aimed at safeguarding teenagers from sextortion scams, where perpetrators blackmail victims by threatening to expose intimate images unless they receive payment or additional photos.

One forthcoming measure will inhibit the ability to take screenshots or screen recordings of disappearing images or videos sent via private message. Additionally, if the sender allows replays of the media, Instagram will prevent users from viewing them on the web. Despite these efforts, the possibility remains that scammers might capture images or videos by recording them with another device.

Starting today, Instagram will employ various indicators, such as the recency of an account, to identify potentially fraudulent activity. Accounts deemed suspicious will be restricted from sending follow requests to teens, either by blocking the request or directing it to the teen’s spam folder.

Instagram is also testing a safety alert feature in both Instagram and Messenger, which will notify teens if the person they are communicating with is based in a different country, as sextortion scammers often misrepresent their location.

Additionally, Instagram will block suspicious accounts from accessing the following or follower lists of their targets, which scammers may exploit for blackmail. Similarly, these accounts will be barred from viewing the lists of users who have liked a victim’s posts, photos they are tagged in, and other users tagged in their photos.

To further protect minors from inappropriate content, Instagram is launching a function that auto-detects and blurs nude images for users under 18. This filter, first tested in April, will be activated by default for teenagers worldwide. Complementary safety measures include access to the Crisis Text Line in the US for those reporting sextortion or child safety issues, as well as an educational video targeting teens in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia to raise awareness about the growing problem of sextortion scams.

These updates are part of Meta’s broader initiative to enhance the safety of its platforms for young users. Last month, Instagram disclosed plans to transition all teenage accounts to more private settings by default, incorporating features such as restricted direct messages and a Sleep Mode to mute notifications during nighttime hours.

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