Meta recently announced that it has removed a staggering 63,000 Instagram accounts from Nigeria in an effort to crack down on sextortion scams. These accounts were primarily targeting adult men in the United States, but some were also aimed at minors, according to Meta.
This action is part of a larger initiative by Meta to combat sextortion scams on its platform. Earlier this year, the company introduced a safety feature in Instagram messages that can automatically detect nudity and alert users about potential blackmail scams. Additionally, Meta provides in-app resources and safety tips to educate users about these types of scams.
Among the 63,000 accounts that were removed, 2,500 were linked to a group of around 20 individuals who were collaborating to carry out sextortion scams. Meta also shut down numerous accounts and groups on Facebook that were offering advice, scripts, and fake images to potential sextortionists. These accounts were associated with the Yahoo Boys, a group of cybercriminals from Nigeria known for various types of scams.
Meta has faced criticism in the past for not doing enough to protect teenagers from sextortion on its platforms. During a Senate hearing earlier this year, Senator Lindsey Graham questioned Mark Zuckerberg about whether the parents of a child who died by suicide after falling victim to such a scam should be able to sue the company.
While Meta stated that the majority of the scammers targeted adults in this latest crackdown, it acknowledged that some accounts had also targeted minors. These accounts have been reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for further investigation.
In conclusion, Meta’s actions against these Instagram accounts from Nigeria are a step in the right direction to combat sextortion scams. However, more efforts are needed to ensure the safety and security of all users, especially minors, on social media platforms. It is essential for platforms like Meta to continue to improve their detection mechanisms and provide resources to educate users about online threats.
