Meta announced on Thursday its plans to introduce new tools aimed at safeguarding teenage users from “sextortion” scams on its Instagram platform.
These scams, orchestrated by criminal gangs, involve coercing individuals into sharing explicit images and then threatening to expose them unless a ransom is paid.
A key initiative by Meta involves testing an AI-powered “nudity protection” tool designed to automatically detect and blur any images containing nudity that are sent to minors via the app’s messaging system.
Capucine Tuffier, overseeing child protection at Meta France, explained that this feature aims to shield recipients from unwanted intimate content, giving them the option to view the image or not.
In addition to technological enhancements, Meta will provide guidance and safety tips to individuals involved in sending or receiving such messages.
The move comes in response to a reported 3,000 young people falling victim to sexploitation schemes in the US in 2022.
Meta faces legal action from over 40 US states, accusing the company of profiting from children’s suffering. The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s business practices prioritize maximizing user engagement on the platform, disregarding the detrimental impact on the well-being of young users.
