Instagram Launches New Features to Combat Teen Sextortion Scams

Instagram announced yesterday the rollout of new safety features aimed at protecting teens from sextortion scams, a form of online blackmail where scammers threaten to release intimate images unless the victim provides more photos or pays a ransom.

These features are designed to address the increasing threat to young users who are often manipulated into sharing explicit content. These initiatives follow Instagram’s test in April.

Sextortion typically involves coercing victims into sending sexually explicit images or videos, which are then used as leverage for further demands. According to Instagram, scammers often mislead teens about their location to build trust, tricking them into sharing sensitive content.

To combat this, Instagram will soon test new safety notices in its direct messages and Messenger apps, informing teens if they are chatting with someone who may be located in a different country, reported NCJA.

One of the upcoming guardrails will prevent users from screenshotting or screen recording disappearing images or videos sent in private messages. If the sender enables replays, the platform will also block the recipient from opening them via the web.

However, Instagram acknowledges that these measures won’t stop scammers from using other devices to capture the images, as noted by TechCrunch.

These initiatives follow Instagram’s introduction of Teen Accounts, which offer built-in protections to limit who can contact underage users, the type of content they see, and how much time they spend online.

Teens under 16 are now restricted from changing certain account settings without parental approval. The platform also limits who can message teens, ensuring they can only receive direct messages from people they follow. Further restrictions will soon prevent accounts that show signs of suspicious behavior from even requesting to follow teens.

In addition, Instagram is testing tools to block scammers from viewing follower lists, which are often used by sextortionists to blackmail teens. Scammers will also lose access to other features, such as viewing tagged accounts and photos, reducing their ability to exploit teens.

With the global rollout of nudity protection in direct messages, Instagram aims to blur any images flagged as containing nudity by default for users under 18.

By increasing safeguards for teen users, Instagram hopes to offer a safer online experience and limit the tactics scammers use to manipulate and exploit young people.