Instagram Tightens the Screws on Sextortion Scams with New Rules

Instagram has finally stepped up to fight the disgusting sextortion scams targeting teens, but is it too little, too late?

At a glance:

  • Instagram has introduced new features to block sextortion scammers from taking screenshots or accessing users’ followers and tagged photos.
  • A new safety feature blurs nude images for all users under 18 and provides crisis resources for those targeted by scams.
  • The platform will now inform users when they’re chatting with someone from another country, a common tactic used by sextortion scammers.

Meta’s Instagram has announced a series of new rules aimed at curbing sextortion scams on the platform. These scams typically involve malicious actors stealing intimate user images and threatening to expose them unless they are paid. The new features, many of which focus on protecting younger users, include preventing screenshots of disappearing stories and blocking suspicious accounts from viewing followers or tagged photos.

In addition to these changes, Instagram is testing safety alerts that notify teens if they are communicating with someone from a different country—often a key tactic used by sextortion scammers. Another crucial feature is the automatic blurring of nude images for users under 18. This new measure aims to protect younger users by default and will be rolled out globally.

Meta’s move comes as sextortion scams, especially targeting minors, have surged in recent years. According to the FBI, over 13,000 sextortion cases involving minors were reported from 2021 to 2023. Most victims have been males between the ages of 13 and 17, and the majority of perpetrators are operating from West Africa and East Asia. Meta’s latest rules are designed to counter these scams while improving safety for teens on Instagram.

Hey, look, Big Tech is doing something food for once!