Snap Adds New Warnings and Region Blocks to Address Teen ‘Sextortion’ Scams

Snap is rolling out intense new protections for teenagers’ Snapchat accounts in an effort to “address a growing trend of sophisticated sextortion scams.” Among them are new warnings and automatic friend request blocks targeting accounts that may be bad actors.

Snapchat implements new safety features to combat teen sextortion scams. Image: Snap

The features aim to stem the tide of sextortion scams, which have become a growing problem. In these scams, bad actors threaten teens and children that they will reveal sexually explicit photos of them unless they pay a ransom or send more such material. This alarming trend has resulted in numerous suicides, according to the FBI. Even when the scammers are paid, they often release the materials anyway, further exacerbating the trauma.

New Safety Measures

To combat these scams, Snap has introduced several new safety measures:

1. Warning Messages:

   • Snapchat will now display a warning message when teens receive a message from someone others have blocked or reported, or when the person’s account originates from a region atypical for the teen’s network.

   • The warning provides options to report or block the sender, or to proceed with the chat.

2. Automatic Friend Request Blocks:

   • The app will automatically block friend requests from accounts with no mutual friends or those with a history of accessing Snapchat in regions known for scamming activity.

Snapchat will display warnings for suspicious messages and block dubious friend requests automatically. Image: Snap

Addressing a Growing Problem

The issue of sextortion is not unique to Snapchat. The rise of AI-generated fake nudes has exacerbated the problem across various platforms. While these warnings and blocks may not eliminate the issue entirely, they are a crucial step in mitigating the risks and protecting young users. Social media companies face increasing pressure from governments to safeguard children, making these measures timely and necessary.

Enhanced Location Sharing Controls

In addition to the new friend request warnings, Snap is clarifying its location sharing settings. All location sharing options are now consolidated in one place, allowing users to see exactly which friends they are sharing their location with, update their location settings, and remove their location from the map if desired. Users can choose to share their location with all friends, all except specific ones, or only certain friends. The company is also introducing more frequent reminders of location sharing status.

Snapchat consolidates location sharing settings for better control and frequent reminders. Image: Snap

A Step Towards Safer Social Media

These new features highlight Snap’s commitment to user safety, especially for its younger audience. By automatically blocking suspicious friend requests and providing clear warnings about potentially harmful interactions, Snapchat is taking proactive steps to protect its users from the dangers of sextortion scams.

As social media platforms continue to evolve, the need for robust safety measures becomes ever more critical. Snap’s latest updates are a positive move towards creating a safer online environment for teens and children.

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