Snap is rolling out intense new protections for youngsters’ Snapchat accounts in an effort to “handle a rising development of subtle sextortion scams.” Amongst them are new warnings and computerized pal request blocks focusing on accounts that could be dangerous actors.
The options are aimed toward stemming the tide of sextortion scams, the corporate writes in a weblog publish concerning the modifications. The scams, wherein dangerous actors threaten teenagers and kids that they’ll reveal sexually specific pictures of them until they pay a ransom or ship extra such materials, is a rising downside that “has resulted in an alarming variety of deaths by suicide,” based on the FBI. The bureau writes on its website that even when the scammers are paid, they’ll typically launch the supplies anyway.
To cease scammers, Snap says it would now present a warning message within the app when teenagers obtain a message from somebody that others have blocked or reported, or when that individual’s account is from a “area the place the teenager’s community isn’t usually positioned.” The warning presents choices to report or block the individual, or simply faucet “Okay” to talk with them. Earlier than this, the disclaimer would present up for accounts that don’t share mutual mates with you or aren’t related to somebody in your contacts.
The Snapchat app may also “stop supply of a pal request altogether” when it comes from an account with no mutual mates or that “has a historical past of accessing Snapchat in areas typically related to scamming exercise.” Snap says these are all potential indicators of scammy exercise.
The sextortion subject isn’t simply restricted to Snapchat. It’s significantly been a difficulty as AI has enabled folks to rapidly and simply make pretend nudes of others. Warnings like these could not cease it completely, however corporations need to do one thing to cope with the problem, significantly as governments more and more push to manage social media, ostensibly to guard youngsters.
Along with the brand new pal request warnings, Snap can be attempting to make clear its location sharing settings. It’s transferring all of them to at least one location in order that customers can “see precisely which mates they’re sharing their location with, replace their location settings, and take away their location from the map.” As proven within the picture above, which means you may select to share your location with all your mates, all besides particular ones, or solely sure mates. The corporate additionally says it’s including “extra frequent reminders” of who customers are sharing their location data with.
