Instagram users will soon see a “Nudity Protection” feature on the app

Instagram is reportedly working on a new feature to protect users from receiving explicit content or nudity from unknown senders in direct messages (DMs) on the platform.

App developer Alessandro Paluzzi was the first to tweet about this upcoming feature with screenshots to prove. Describing its functionality, Paluzzi said, “Technology on your device covers photos that may contain nudity in chats. Instagram CAN’T access photos.”

He also confirmed Instagram’s parent company, Meta confirmed that this feature is still in the early stages of development and that it will be optional for users.

Meta says it wants to keep people’s eyes from nude photos or other unwanted messages. As an added security measure, the company says it can’t review the image itself or share it with anyone. “We’re working closely with experts to ensure these new features preserve people’s privacy, while giving them control over the messages they receive,” said Liz Fernandez, a Meta spokesperson.

The company plans to share more details ahead of any tests in the coming weeks.

The new feature is similar to the “Hidden Words” tool the company launched last year. This feature allows users to filter abusive messages in DM requests based on keywords.

When the Nudity Protection feature is enabled, Instagram will blur the photo attached in the chat if it detects it has nudity – this will be done automatically. You will then get a notification that the message you’ve received has a photo that contains nudity with the option to access the content if you want.

Introducing a Nudity Protection feature will go a long way in helping the company to improve protection for younger users.

Last year, Instagram made the accounts for users under 16 “private” by default, which made it harder for young people to find potentially suspicious accounts. This provided a safer and more personal experience for younger users on the platform.

It also limits advertisers’ ability to reach young people. The company has developed new technology to look for accounts that exhibit potentially suspicious behavior and prevent those accounts from interacting with accounts of minors.