Meta Unveils New Measures to Combat Sextortion and Intimate Image Abuse

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is introducing new tools to address sextortion and the abuse of intimate images.

The company will soon test a nudity filter for Instagram Direct Messages (DMs), which will blur images identified as containing nudity and prompt users to reconsider before sending nude photos.

Meta has been working closely with experts to understand and counteract the tactics scammers use to exploit victims online.

The latest updates are designed to protect users from sextortion and intimate image abuse across Meta’s platforms and the broader internet.

The company is also focusing on helping young people recognize and protect against these scams.

These measures include:

1. Stricter Message Settings for Teens: Teens are defaulted into settings that restrict messages from users they are not connected with. Safety Notices alert teens about potential scam accounts, and there is a dedicated option to report threatening DMs.

2. Nudity Protection in DMs: This new feature blurs detected nude images in Instagram DMs and is enabled by default for users under 18. It encourages users to reconsider sending nude images and provides safety tips on the risks involved. The feature works within end-to-end encrypted chats using on-device machine learning.

3. Preventing Scammers from Connecting with Teens: Meta is developing technology to identify and block potential sextortion accounts from interacting with teens. Suspicious accounts will have their message requests diverted to a hidden requests folder, and they will be prevented from seeing the “Message” button on teens’ profiles or finding teen accounts through searches.

4. New Resources for Potential Victims: Meta is testing pop-up messages that guide users who may have interacted with sextortion accounts to expert-backed resources. The platform is also integrating more child safety helplines into its reporting flows.

5. Industry Cooperation: Meta is a founding member of Lantern, a Tech Coalition initiative for sharing information about accounts and behaviors violating child safety policies. This collaboration aims to combat sextortion scams across the internet, not just on individual platforms.

Meta’s ongoing efforts include supporting initiatives like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) Take It Down platform, which allows young people to control the spread of their intimate images online.

The company also takes severe action against known sextortion perpetrators, removing their accounts and collaborating with law enforcement to disrupt their activities.