Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a comprehensive new initiative aimed at protecting teens from sextortion scams.
In response to the alarming rise in online enticement cases, Meta is rolling out an education campaign designed to help teens and their families recognize the warning signs of sextortion and provide them with the tools needed to respond effectively.
Meta has partnered with leading child safety organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Thorn, including Thorn’s Youth Advisory Council.
Together, they have developed an educational video that teaches teens how to spot potential sextortion scams. Common red flags include users coming on too strongly, asking for explicit photos, or suggesting moving the conversation to a different app.
The rise in sextortion scams is staggering, with reports of online enticement increasing by over 300% between 2021 and 2023, according to John Shehan, Senior Vice President at NCMEC. He emphasized the importance of educational campaigns like this, which can help teens recognize these risks early and know where to seek help.
One of the central messages of Meta’s campaign is to reassure teens that sextortion is never their fault. Teens are directed to Instagram’s Prevent Sextortion page, which offers practical tips and guidance co-developed with Thorn. The page also links to live chat support from Crisis Text Line in the U.S., providing real-time help for those in need.
In addition to targeting teens, Meta is also reaching out to parents to help them understand the dangers of sextortion and how to protect their children. Parent creators on Instagram will share content that educates parents on the warning signs of sextortion scams.
Alongside the education campaign, Meta is introducing a range of new safety features to further protect teens from sextortion. One of the key updates is in the Instagram Teen Accounts feature, which defaults teens under 18 into stricter privacy settings.
Further enhancing privacy, Meta is implementing new controls to stop users from taking screenshots or screen recordings of ephemeral images and videos sent through Instagram’s “view once” or “allow replay” feature.
Meta’s fight against sextortion extends beyond individual scammers. Last week, the company removed over 1,600 assets, including 800 Facebook Groups and 820 accounts associated with “Yahoo Boys,” a group known for organizing sextortion scams.
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