Instagram has recently introduced new settings aimed at combating fraud rings and preventing teenagers from becoming victims of sextortion. The platform urges parents to be vigilant. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has noted that the use of sexual images, videos, or discussions to extort money from victims is becoming increasingly prevalent. Criminal groups are reportedly teaming up to force teenagers into sharing explicit photos of themselves or their friends.

In response to the growing concern of sextortion, Meta has rolled out a series of updates for Instagram. For instance, the follower lists of teenage users will automatically remove potential extortionists, making it more difficult for these criminals to contact young users. Furthermore, it will provide teenagers with additional resources to recognize the signs of falling into a sextortion scheme.

Instagram disclosed that teenage users in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia will see educational videos in their accounts that teach them how to spot sextortion scams.

One significant feature introduced is “Nudity Protection,” which blurs images that may be identified as nude. It also offers courteous reminders to think carefully before sharing such images. This feature will be available to teenage accounts globally.

Antigone Davis, Meta’s Global Head of Safety, mentioned that Instagram has removed the “screen capture” feature from its messaging app, as it was being exploited by scammers to acquire sensitive images that only briefly appeared.

Recently, Meta launched a new set of parental controls aimed at helping parents better monitor their children’s online activities, alongside the updated sextortion prevention settings. Experts suggest these initiatives were a response to pressure from parents and lawmakers. Critics, however, remain dissatisfied, arguing that Meta’s responses are merely a way to sidestep larger, more fundamental issues regarding the negative impacts of Instagram on the mental and physical health of teenagers.

Scammers often impersonate individuals from the same country and of similar age to gain the victim’s trust, subsequently requesting “friends” to share explicit photos or videos. Once they have succeeded, they threaten to expose the victim unless they pay up. Davis emphasized that the new suite of features aims to eliminate such criminal activities.

Behind the scenes, Meta reported that it had shut down 63,000 accounts linked to sextortion rings, with thousands tied to a group based in Nigeria.

Despite Instagram’s claims of enhancing protections for teenagers over the past three years, the pressure to address issues related to sexual abuse and cyberbullying continues to grow.