Snap is rolling out intense new protections for youngsters’ Snapchat accounts in an effort to “handle a rising pattern of subtle sextortion scams.” Amongst them are new warnings and computerized good friend request blocks focusing on accounts that could be dangerous actors.
The options are geared toward stemming the tide of sextortion scams, the corporate writes in a weblog put up concerning the modifications. The scams, through which dangerous actors threaten teenagers and kids that they’ll reveal sexually express pictures of them except they pay a ransom or ship extra such materials, is a rising downside that “has resulted in an alarming variety of deaths by suicide,” in response to the FBI. The bureau writes on its website that even when the scammers are paid, they’ll usually launch the supplies anyway.
To cease scammers, Snap says it is going to now present a warning message within the app when teenagers obtain a message from somebody that others have blocked or reported, or when that particular person’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 particular person, or simply faucet “Okay” to speak with them. Earlier than this, the disclaimer would present up for accounts that don’t share mutual associates with you or aren’t related to somebody in your contacts.
The Snapchat app can even “forestall supply of a good friend request altogether” when it comes from an account with no mutual associates or that “has a historical past of accessing Snapchat in areas usually 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 firms should 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 good friend request warnings, Snap can also be making an attempt 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 associates they’re sharing their location with, replace their location settings, and take away their location from the map.” As proven within the picture above, meaning you may select to share your location with your entire associates, all besides particular ones, or solely sure associates. The corporate additionally says it’s including “extra frequent reminders” of who customers are sharing their location data with.
