New Updates and Efforts to Help Teens
In a significant move, Meta has announced several new updates and efforts aimed at helping teens combat sextortion on its platforms. The company revealed the expanded availability of Take It Down, an online tool designed to prevent the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery.
Take It Down: A Powerful Tool for Teens
Take It Down is a powerful tool that allows users to take back control of their personal intimate photos and videos. Originally launched in English and Spanish last year, the system is now available in 25 more languages, including Hindi, Chinese, French, German, Icelandic, Portuguese, Urdu, Tagalog, Bengali, Thai, Arabic, Dutch, Tamil, Turkish, Italian, Khmer, Kurdish, Bahasa Indonesian, Malayalam, Marathi, Sinhalese, Vietnamese, and Korean.
The system works by having users follow instructions to assign a unique hash, which is a digital fingerprint in the form of a numerical code, to their image or video privately from their own device. Once the hash has been submitted to NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children), Meta can find copies of the image or video and take them down.
Key Features of Take It Down
- Users can submit a unique hash, rather than the intimate image or video itself.
- The system is available in 25 languages, including Hindi, Chinese, French, German, Icelandic, Portuguese, Urdu, Tagalog, Bengali, Thai, Arabic, Dutch, Tamil, Turkish, Italian, Khmer, Kurdish, Bahasa Indonesian, Malayalam, Marathi, Sinhalese, Vietnamese, and Korean.
- Teens can use the system to prevent ex-partners and scammers from spreading their intimate images online.
Updated Sextortion Hub
In addition to expanding Take It Down, Meta has updated its Sextortion hub with new guidance for teens on how to take back control if someone is targeting them. The guidance includes advice for parents on how to support their teens if they’re being targeted.
Meta worked closely with Thorn, a nonprofit that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse, to develop the updated guidance.
Global Campaign
As part of its efforts to combat sextortion, Meta is launching a global campaign to raise awareness about these scams and what teens can do to avoid them. The company will be working with safety organizations and creators to spread the word and educate users on how to stay safe online.
Meta’s Commitment to Safety
The new updates come after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified at a Senate hearing where he was asked about the company’s role in combating sextortion on its platforms. The hearing highlighted the need for social media companies to do more to protect their users, particularly teens who are often targeted by scammers.
Meta has made significant efforts in recent years to improve safety on its platforms, including investing in AI-powered moderation tools and increasing the number of human moderators. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all users feel safe and supported online.
Conclusion
The new updates and efforts announced by Meta are a positive step forward in combating sextortion on its platforms. By expanding Take It Down and updating its Sextortion hub, the company is providing teens with powerful tools to take back control of their intimate images and stay safe online.
As part of its global campaign, Meta will be working closely with safety organizations and creators to raise awareness about these scams and what users can do to avoid them. With continued commitment to safety, social media companies like Meta have the potential to make a significant impact in protecting their users from harm.