Instagram Introduces Nudity Blurring in DMs

Meta has introduced a series of new features on Instagram aimed at enhancing the safety of young users against “sextortion” and intimate image abuse. Among these measures, a standout update is the introduction of a nudity protection feature for direct messages aka DMs. This feature, which blurs images detected to contain nudity, is set to be activated by default for users under the age of 18, with adults receiving a prompt to consider enabling it. 

Meta emphasizes the update’s importance, stating, “We’re testing new features to help protect young people from ‘sextortion’ and intimate image abuse, and to make it more difficult for potential scammers and criminals to find and interact with teens.” The technology behind this feature utilizes on-device machine learning, ensuring privacy by working even within end-to-end encrypted chats. This means the images are analyzed on the user’s device, maintaining the confidentiality of the communication. Meta’s approach also includes broader efforts to combat “sextortion”, such as developing technology to identify potential scammers and limiting their ability to connect with or message teenagers on Instagram.

These updates are part of Meta’s ongoing commitment to safeguard young people on its platforms. Meta aims to empower users to protect themselves online by implementing stricter message settings and safety notices, along with resources such as the Take It Down platform that has been co-developed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Additionally, through its participation in Lantern, Meta is sharing information on “sextortion” accounts with other tech companies, addressing the issue across the digital landscape and striving for a safer internet environment for all users.