Facebook's new tool protect minor users and fight against scammers
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| Facebook user |
Facebook Messenger is rolling out a new tool to prevent scammers and impostors on its platform. The company will use artificial intelligence to help identify these potential bad actors and provide safety notices to users about messages from shady accounts.
Facebook Messenger users will now see safety notices popping up in a chat and provide tips to help them spot suspicious activity and take action to block or ignore someone when something doesn’t seem right. Facebook started rolling this feature out on Android in March and would bring this to more people around the world on iOS this week. Notably, Facebook does not automatically block potentially fake or scam-full accounts if they’re flagged by this new automated moderation tool. Messenger will now display a safety notice that warns the user and gives them the chance to block the person or read about how to protect themselves from scams.
Facebook Messenger users will now see safety notices popping up in a chat and provide tips to help them spot suspicious activity and take action to block or ignore someone when something doesn’t seem right. Facebook started rolling this feature out on Android in March and would bring this to more people around the world on iOS this week. Notably, Facebook does not automatically block potentially fake or scam-full accounts if they’re flagged by this new automated moderation tool. Messenger will now display a safety notice that warns the user and gives them the chance to block the person or read about how to protect themselves from scams.
This new tool is attempting to solve a well-documented problem on Messenger. Con artists continue to find creative and convincing ways to impersonate users’ friends and family in order to trick people into giving up their money or financial information. One of Facebook’s new safety messages even specifically warns people to “Refuse requests for money.” And more recently, those ploys have taken advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, with scammers promoting fake treatments and charity efforts. The problem got bad enough that the Better Business Bureau issued a public warning about it.
Messenger already has special protections in place for minors that limit contact from adults they aren’t connected to, and uses machine learning to detect and disable the accounts of adults who are engaging in inappropriate interactions with children. The new safety feature educates people under the age of 18 to be cautious when interacting with an adult they may not know and empowers them to take action before responding to a message.
“These features show a great integration of the technical tools that will help curb bad behavior on the platform, while also reminding people of their own control over their account”- said Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute.
Too often, people interact with someone online they think they know or trust, when it’s really a scammer. The new safety notices in Messenger also help educate people on ways to spot scams and help them take action to prevent a costly interaction.