Non it is never your fault. This is the title of the meeting organized this morning in Milan by Meta together with permitted and solofluencer to talk about Sextortion. Or of that form of extortion, increasingly widespread, In which the victim is threatened to see widespread intimate material – real or artificially created – if it does not provide further content, sexual performance or money. In recent years, allowed has recorded a constant growth of the phenomenon. The data show a clear expansion, underlining the urgency of targeted and legal, psychological and technological support interventions.
Permission deniedassociation created precisely to contrast this form of online violence, e Laura Bononcini, Meta Southern Europe Public Public Public Director, they helped us take stock of victims and scammers, possible prevention and protections.
The identikit of the victim of Sextortion and the scammer
It is difficult to outline a unique “target” for the victims of sextortion: The affected people are aged between 18 and 75, They come from very different social, cultural and geographical contexts, and include Italians and foreigners, men and women, people with different sexual guidelines and relational situations.
Unlike the crimes of non -consensual sharing more “classic”, in the online sextortion the majority of the victims is made up of men, While women continue to represent the majority in the complex of crimes related to the non -consensual diffusion of intimate material.
As for the scammersthe phenomenon can be the work of both individuals both of organized criminal groups, Able to exploit the Internet and social media to identify, blackmail and manipulate their victims.
The phases of the Sextortion, from the first contact to blackmail
Sextortion often follows a structured process, with predetermined phases aimed at manipulating the victim.
1. Creation of the first contact. It is based on the construction of an apparently genuine relationship. The initial questions are therefore focused on generic personal aspects, which often go to understand sensitive information from the victim.
2. Evolution towards erotic themes. Established the first contact and obtained sufficient personal information, the scammer uses the emotional warmth of an apparently “intimate” conversation to conduct the speech towards sexualization.
3. Registration and blackmail. When the victim is involved in intimate conversations, the material is recorded secretly and subsequently used to threaten the diffusion and obtain money, favors or further sexual content.
The Red Flag of the Sextortion: the change of platform
Some of the Red Flag that should suspect the potential victim They are: insistence; The request to exchange photos. And above all, the proposal to move the conversation to another app.
The victim is initially lured on a social network that provides easily accessible personal information, such as Instagram or Facebook, where the author can build a relationship of trust. Then the attacker pushes the victim to move to less regulated platforms.
This recurring method of adaptation of the victims suggests the existence of a well -defined plan and shared by the authors of the crime. And it is among the elements that, based on the permitted report, suggest the existence of A structured criminal organization.
How to report the Sextortion
Search engines, social media, dating sites and porn sites provide specific reporting procedures. And it is still generally always You can contact the owner of the site, i.e. the webmastervia the “Contact us” module or the email address indicated on the site, usually at the bottom of the home page or inside the privacy policy.
Acquire proof of the published content and report
Before proceeding with the report, it is important Always acquire proof of the published content (for example a screenshot), so that you can possibly act legally later. It may be useful to preserve Even any evidence of the threats received and any reference to the account of the responsible person.
Finally, we recommend contacting theJudicial authority to file a complaint or lawsuit: to see the injustice suffered recognized, but also to bring to light a phenomenon still too underestimated.
The dedicated platforms to protect themselves
In addition to the traditional report, people can protect themselves from the non -consensual diffusion of intimate images and videos using dedicated platforms: Stopncii, permitted and take it down.
Take it down, for minors
Take it down is aimed at minors and allows you to generate a hash – a unique digital imprint – images or videos directly from your device, without uploading the contents on the platform. The partner platforms use these hash to check if corresponding images or videos are uploaded, removing them immediately and stopping their diffusion, including those generated by artificial intelligence.
Stopncii, for adults
Stopncii, on the other hand, is dedicated to adults and can be used autonomously or with the support of organizations such as permitted. Here too, Images haveh are generated locally and compared with partner platform systems, including destination, to prevent the non -consensual diffusion of content.
Permitted, which supports victims
In addition, permitted carries out a key role in reporting contents already published and account that spread illegal material, collaborating with numerous platforms to promote a management more responsible for the content loaded by users.
The laws to protect victims and their application
The regulatory principals to protect the victims are insufficient. For example, article 612-ter of the penal code, It requires to demonstrate that those who have spread the images had the intention of hurting the victim. This condition can prove particularly difficult to try: it is often impossible to understand what the real reasons for those who committed the crime were.
Good news came to the end September 2025 with the approval of the law on artificial intelligencewhich will be in force from 10 October: has introduced the new article 612-quater to punish those who create and spread Deepfake, that is, video or false images generated with artificial intelligence. The real challenge is to apply this law In practice: law enforcement officers must be put in a position to understand when an image has been manipulated with artificial intelligence and collect the necessary evidence.
Coordination with European rules
Another problem concerns the Coordination between Italian laws and new European rules, in particular the Digital Services Act. AGCOM, the communications authority, has been appointed as Italian manager to enforce these new European rules that have become operational for all digital platforms in February 2024. On paper, the Digital Services Act provides that illegal content can be reported and removed quickly, but in Italy its concrete application is encountering many difficulties.
The European Commission has also signed an agreement with AGCOM to help her better play this supervisory role, but in reality The victims are faced with complicated procedures And divided, where the report to the police and the request for removing the contents to the platforms follow separate roads that do not communicate with each other.
The prevention and training of law enforcement agencies are needed
Another fundamental element – always highlights permitted – concerns the dimension preventive and educational, Too often neglected by the merely repressive approach of current legislation.
On the other hand, one is indispensable Specialist training of law enforcement agencies on the technical aspects of digital gender violence.
The commitment of the platforms: destination against sextortion
Of course, Meta is in the front row in the fight against the Sextortion: not only has he collaborated in the development of the platforms that contrast it but introduced ad hoc tools. Thus on Instagram the images detected as nudity, when they are sent or received in the DM they are blurred. On the other hand, those who send or forward sensitive images receive a reminder that encourages him to reflect on one’s actions.
Still, if someone sends a photo or video via the Instagram or Messenger DM using the “View once” function or “allow you to reproduce again”, she will not have to worry about a possible screenshot or a recording made without its consent. And new security functions have been added to the DM of instagram teen accounts, and also on Facebook and Messenger, to offer major teenagers information on account with which they are chatting and help them identify potential scammers.
For all users, a new option of Block and reporting in the DMwhich allows you to take both actions simultaneously.
Laura Bononcini: “Think twice before sharing leads not to do it”
“We cannot oblige people to use our security and well -being tools, nor to predict what they will decide to do outside our platforms,” admits Laura BononciniPublic Policy Director Southern Europe in Meta. «However, we tried to provide tools that promote conscious reflection. Especially among young people, By inviting them to think twice before sharing private content. And to recognize signs of risk or problematic situations, becoming aware of the real consequences of their actions ».
According to the latest surveys, the strategy works. Since the protection function against nude images has been introduced globally, 99% of people, including teenagers, has maintained it active.
In June, over 40% of the blurred images received in the DM remained blurred. Protection from nudity It really encourages people to think about it twice before submitting images that could contain naked. In May, about 45% of the time users chose not to forward the images after seeing the notice.
Advice to victims
What if you fall into the trap? «The first thing to do if you realize you are a victim is understand the situation without panic», Bononcini continues.
– If someone asks to share content that uncomfortable, it is then absolutely legitimate and protect your privacy.
– Talk to a trusted person – A friend, a parent, a teacher or a consultant – can help understand how to deal with the situation safely.
– It is important Never send money. And at the same time, carry out a report to technologies suppliers, block the person who threatens and act immediately to prevent the spread of images and videos.
– you can contact Specialized organizations They offer concrete support on several fronts: psychological, legal and technological.
“It’s not your fault.” Destination and permitted against the sextortion taboo
But it is also essential break the taboo, so that those who suffer sextortion do not only feel in reporting. “For this reason,” continues Bononcini, “it is essential to make awareness of the phenomenon. For years we have been engaged in initiatives that promote well -being and security on social media, especially among teenagers, combining Direct training for children, teachers and parents with information and awareness campaigns. In this work we collaborate with Italian experts and associations, such as Telefono Azzurro, Carolina Foundation and the main pediatric associations ».
Today’s meeting, “It’s never your fault”, goes in this same direction.