(ABC 6 News) – Meta is introducing new security measures to prevent young users from becoming victims of sextortion scams.

Sextortion is the single most dangerous crime targeting young boys. It has seen a disturbing
300% rise in the past three years. This alarming trend involves scammers, often posing as
attractive girls, coercing boys into sharing explicit photos under the threat of exposure.

Instagram, a popular platform among young people, is now stepping up to combat this issue.

In July, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, took significant action by removing approximately
70,000 accounts linked to a Nigerian sextortion ring. Building on this, Instagram has introduced
new safeguards designed to thwart sextortion attempts.

These measures include:

• Warning messages: When young users receive connection requests from suspicious accounts, they’ll be alerted if the account is from another country or has no mutual followers.
• Easy reporting and blocking: One-tap buttons enable users to quickly report and block suspicious accounts, as well as access help resources.
• Blurring explicit content: Photos containing nudity sent via direct messages to users under 18 will be automatically blurred.
• Restricted follower lists: Limiting who can see a user’s followers helps prevent scammers from identifying and contacting potential victims.

These changes, developed in partnership with the National Centers for Missing and Exploited
Children (NCMEC), represent a significant step forward in social media safety. While no platform
can be completely risk-free, Instagram’s proactive approach makes it a safer space for young
users.

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