Instagram cracks down on sextortion scams with new rules

Meta’s Instagram announced new rules Thursday aimed at eliminating extortion in the name of sex — or sextortion — on its platform.

According to the announcement, the scams involve malicious actors stealing intimate user images and threatening to expose them unless they receive payment. Instagram announced several new features that could curb the scams, with a particular focus on younger users.

One of the new features makes it impossible for potential sextortionists to take screenshots of disappearing stories on Instagram. And if a user publishes a temporary story, it won’t be available on web browsers, ensuring malicious actors can’t record it.

Additionally, Instagram will block suspicious accounts from looking at the followers or tagged photos of other users, since they could be used in a sextortion scam. The platform will also inform users if they’re chatting with someone from another country since scammers typically lie about their location.

This week’s new rules are meant to complement Instagram’s new Teen Accounts program, which launched last month. Teen Accounts on Instagram are more restricted than typical accounts and protect underage users against scammers.

One of the new protections for Teen Accounts announced this week is the automatic blurring of nude images. The feature will be activated by default for all Teen Accounts this month.

The changes come as Meta tries to bolster its online safety credentials, especially relating to underage users. Federal law enforcement has become increasingly aware of sextortion scams the past few years, with the FBI reporting over 13,000 sextortion scams involving minors from 2021 to 2023. According to the bureau, most victims are males ages 13 to 17, with the perpetrators mostly coming out of West African nations like Nigeria or East Asian countries like the Philippines.