Meta Cracks Down on Sextortion on Instagram: No More Screenshots in DMs

Meta’s Instagram has just unveiled updates focused on safeguarding teens from sextortion scams. Central to these updates is blocking users from screenshotting private media sent in direct messages (DMs). Previously, users could take screenshots of temporary photos or videos, but the sender would be notified. Now, Instagram is taking it further by ensuring you can’t save such content at all, a move aimed at keeping media truly ephemeral.

Users who send “view once” or “allow replay” media in DMs can rest assured that the receiver won’t be able to save it to their device. To close loopholes, Instagram has also banned opening these messages on desktops, a tactic people previously used to bypass the restrictions.

Enhanced Teen Accounts and Messaging Limits

Instagram has been stepping up protections for its younger users. Accounts marked as belonging to teens under 18 have stricter default privacy settings. Now, the platform is pushing those boundaries further. Suspicious accounts, such as those flagged for shady behavior or being newly created, won’t be allowed to send follow requests to teens as easily. In cases where Instagram’s system detects something off, the follow request might land in the teen’s spam folder—or be blocked entirely.

To avoid letting scammers build fake trust, the app will notify teens when someone they’re talking to might be in a different country. This feature aims to stop scammers who often lie about their location to gain the victim’s trust.

Targeting Scam Accounts

Another key change is Instagram making it harder for malicious actors to see a user’s list of followers, following, and people who liked posts. Accounts flagged as potentially harmful will no longer be able to access those lists, making it tougher to use that data to manipulate their targets. Scammers often exploit these lists to track down more victims or use them as leverage in blackmail attempts.

A related update is the platform’s global rollout of a nudity-blurring feature for DMs. This function was initially tested in April and is now live for all users, with teens having it enabled by default. The feature blurs potentially sensitive images, and people sending such media will see a warning about the risks involved.

Education and Awareness Campaign

Meta isn’t stopping at software changes. The company has launched an educational campaign to arm teens and parents with the tools to recognize sextortion scams. Working with organizations like Thorn and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Instagram has developed videos aimed at teaching young people how to identify when someone is trying to scam them. The campaign includes warnings about behaviors like pushing to exchange photos or trying to move the conversation to another app.

These educational resources will reach teens in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. The video directs users to online resources where they can find advice on how to handle sextortion attempts. Additionally, influencers on Instagram are being enlisted to share these safety messages with their followers, helping spread awareness further.

Crisis Support and Rapid Response

Instagram is also partnering with Crisis Text Line in the U.S. to offer immediate mental health support to victims of sextortion. Users reporting incidents of sextortion or child safety concerns in the app will now be able to access live chat support with a trained counselor. This new feature ensures that help is available around the clock for those who need it.

Beyond prevention and support, Instagram has been actively tracking and removing accounts associated with sextortion scams. In a recent sweep, the platform took down more than 1,600 accounts linked to scams. Meta continues to refine its detection methods, identifying patterns in scam activity to more quickly take down malicious accounts.