Instagram’s parent company Meta is developing a new functionality to protect users from spam and inappropriate messages. The filter should prevent users from receiving private messages with unsolicited nude photos, for example, the company says in a short statement.

The new feature is intended to work in part in the same way as the existing ability to hide offensive words or phrases. This function works based on an algorithm and you can turn it on or off yourself or expand it with new words. Then it is automatically filtered.

Meta says the new technology does not infringe on users’ privacy. For example, according to a spokesperson for the tech company, it cannot monitor private messages that users send and receive, which will remain encrypted. “We work closely with experts to ensure users’ privacy while giving them control over the messages they receive.”

According to Meta, the development of the new feature is still at an early stage. The technology has not yet been tested.

Meta is regularly criticized for privacy breaches on the tech giant’s internet platforms. In addition to Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp are also owned by the American parent company.

So I stopped A year ago, Facebook launched a controversial program that automatically recognizes users’ faces in photos and videos. And Meta was fined more than 400 million euros at the beginning of this month, because the email addresses and phone numbers of minors were not properly protected on Instagram.

The tech company will contest this, because, according to Meta, the fine is based on an outdated situation. The company says that the privacy of underage users is now better protected. For example, underage users’ accounts are automatically set to private when they become members, which means their profile is protected.