What the Tech: What parents need to know about Instagram’s efforts to stop sextortion
By JAMIE TUCKER Consumer Technology Reporter
Meta is introducing new security measures to prevent young users from becoming victims of sextortion scams.
Sextortion is the single most dangerous crime targeting young boys. It has seen a disturbing 300% rise in the past three years.
This alarming trend involves scammers, often posing as attractive girls, coercing boys into sharing explicit photos under the threat of exposure.
Instagram, a popular platform among young people, is now stepping up to combat this issue. In July, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, took significant action by removing approximately 70,000 accounts linked to a Nigerian sextortion ring.
Building on this, Instagram has introduced new safeguards designed to thwart sextortion attempts.
These measures include:
● Warning messages: When young users receive connection requests from suspicious accounts, they’ll be alerted if the account is from another country or has no mutual followers.
● Easy reporting and blocking: One-tap buttons enable users to quickly report and block suspicious accounts, as well as access help resources.
● Blurring explicit content: Photos containing nudity sent via direct messages to users under 18 will be automatically blurred.
● Restricted follower lists: Limiting who can see a user’s followers helps prevent scammers from identifying and contacting potential victims.
These changes, developed in partnership with the National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), represent a significant step forward in social media safety. While no platform can be completely risk-free, Instagram’s proactive approach makes it a safer space for young users.
