Meta’s Instagram platform is set to pilot new tools aimed at combating “sextortion,” a form of online blackmail involving intimate photos.
This was reported by the BBC, according to Ukrinform.
The tools include a feature that will blur explicit images sent by users in direct messages (DMs). This will be enabled by default for individuals under 18, though adult users will also have the option to activate it. Instagram emphasizes that for adult users, this feature will not automatically notify the platform about explicit images in DMs.
Additionally, pop-up notifications will be tested to guide potential sextortion victims toward support services.
The feature for protection against explicit imagery utilizes artificial intelligence to detect nude pictures in DMs and offers users the choice of whether to view them. The function is designed “not only to protect people from unwanted nudity in their DMs but also to protect them from scammers who might send nude images to trick people into sending their own images back,” according to an Instagram statement.
When the system identifies that a user is sending an explicit image, they will receive safety advice, including reminders that recipients can take screenshots or forward images without the sender’s knowledge.
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The platform will also implement measures to detect signs that a user might be a potential exploiter, making it more difficult for them to interact with others.
For individuals who may have interacted with accounts removed for exploitation, Instagram is testing pop-up messages that will direct them to expert advice and support.
This announcement comes on the same day that WhatsApp, another Meta platform, lowered its minimum age for registration in Britain and Europe from 16 to 13.
As Ukrinform reported, Instagram and Threads will no longer recommend political content to users on the social networks.