Meta will start blurring nudity in Instagram DMs to protect young users from sextortion

Meta has revealed that it is currently developing new features aimed at safeguarding young users from sextortion and intimate image abuse. Among these features is a new nudity protection function for Instagram direct messages (DMs). This feature uses on-device machine learning to analyze images for nudity and blurs any detected explicit content. The aim of this feature is to deter users from sending nude images and to protect recipients from unwanted explicit content.

The nudity protection feature will be automatically enabled for users under 18 worldwide. Adults will receive a notification suggesting they activate the feature. In addition to blurring explicit images, the feature will also provide safety tips when such images are sent or received. These tips, created with expert input, will caution users about potential risks such as screenshots or forwarding of images without consent, changes in relationships, and the possibility of deceptive profiles.

The machine learning technology used in the nudity protection feature operates on the device itself, allowing it to function in end-to-end encrypted chats where Meta does not have access to the images. However, users can opt to report explicit images to Meta.

In addition to the nudity protection feature, Meta is also working on technology to detect potential sextortion scams. This technology will evaluate various signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.