Dating app and social media users are to be better protected from cyberflashing after a new law compelling tech firms to stop this type of content before it reaches users comes into force today.
Cyberflashing is a term used to describe the act of someone sending a photo or video of their or someone else’s genitals to another person without their consent.
Now, platforms will be required to take proactive steps to prevent this content from appearing in the first place – not just react after the harm is done. Tech firms will face some of the strongest requirements under the Online Safety Act as cyberflashing becomes a priority offence.
Those that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue, or have their services blocked in the UK.
Taking action
One approach companies could take to tackle these images is by deploying automated systems that pre-emptively detect and hide the image, implementing moderation tools or stricter content policies.
Bumble was the first dating app to explicitly moderate cyberflashing to protect its members from seeing unwanted pictures.
The women-first dating app launched Private Detector, an AI-powered feature that automatically detects and blurs nudity in images sent within chats. It then alerts the recipient who can choose to view, block or report the image.
“Receiving unsolicited sexual images is a daily violation that disproportionately impacts women and undermines their sense of safety online,” says Elymae Cedeno, VP of trust and safety at Bumble.
“Strengthening the law to make cyberflashing a priority offence is an important step toward ensuring platforms proactively address this behaviour to better protect members.”
Ofcom will now consult on new codes of practice, setting out exactly what steps platforms must take to protect users from unsolicited sexual images.
The priority offence marks another step in the mission to make the online world safer – particularly for women and children, who are disproportionately targeted. One in three teenage girls in England has received unsolicited sexual images.
“For too long cyberflashing has been just another degrading abuse women and girls are expected to endure. We are changing this,” says Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls.
“By placing the responsibility on tech companies to block this vile content before users see it, we are preventing women and girls from being harmed in the first place.”
