Facebook has been under intense pressure from advocate and lawmakers this year to do a better job keeping young users safe while protecting their privacy. And this week, the company announced a sweeping new set of features intended to do just that — and they could benefit the rest of Facebook’s users, too.

According to a blog post from the company, it will begin testing a feature that automatically blurs nude photos in Instagram DMs for users under the age of 18. The platform will also show a notification to adults encouraging them to turn on the feature. Not only will this protect users from unwanted sexual advances, but it could also prevent scammers from tricking users by sending nude photos. And while these features are only a test for now, advocates who have worked with Facebook on the issue in the past praised the move as long overdue.

“Companies have a responsibility to ensure the protection of minors who use their platforms,” said John Shehan, Senior Vice President of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “Meta’s proposed device-side safety measures within its encrypted environment is encouraging. We are hopeful these new measures will increase reporting by minors and curb the circulation of online child exploitation.”

This is certainly a step in the right direction, and hopefully it’s just the beginning of Facebook making improvements to protect users — both teens and adults alike.

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