Meta’s involvement in Take It Down is part of its ongoing efforts to combat sextortion and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its social networks. In November, the company announced plans to crack down on “suspicious” adults messaging teens, and this latest initiative follows on from its StopNCII technology, which was developed to fight revenge porn. Meta has faced pressure from state attorneys general and other government bodies to protect teens, particularly in light of whistleblower Frances Haugen’s allegations that the company downplayed research into Instagram’s effects on mental health. Meta already restricts ads targeting young audiences and limits sensitive content for teen Instagram users. The new takedown platform provides abuse survivors with more control over their online presence and may help lift some of the pressure on Meta to protect young people on its social networks.
