Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.
Meta attempts to crack down on sextortion in new campaign
Meta has launched a new campaign to protect teens and children from social media sextortion scams. It鈥檚 designed to help teenagers and their parents easily spot online scammers, who trick young people into sending intimate photos and use financial blackmail, threatening exposure.
It was co-developed by Meta and Thorn 鈥 a non-profit organization that builds tech to defend children from sexual abuse -- as well as leading child experts and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
There are many safety layers to these new rules:
- They limit the ability of strangers to connect with young people on social media.
- When an Instagram account is private, teens and children can now only exchange messages with people they follow.
- There is a nudity protection feature and other restrictions on photos.
- Another person's followers are now blocked.
The new campaign includes that helps teens recognize the signs of a potential sextortion scammer, which include:
- Coming on too strong.
- Asking to exchange photos.
- Asking to move the conversation to a different messaging app or platform.
Tech analyst Carmi Levy said this is a productive step by Meta, but still not far-reaching enough.
"If you are a parent or if you are a teenager or anyone involved in caregiving, you should not just assume that we are now over the line and this problem is solved," said Levy who added, sextortion extends well beyond just Meta and its platforms like Instagram and Facebook. "These companies need to be held accountable by better laws that punish them if they are not compliant."
According to 愛污传媒鈥 public safety analyst and former OPP commissioner Chris Lewis, the biggest obstacle with sextortion investigations is the fact that parents and law enforcement only know what is being reported. Many teens are staying silent, and not telling anyone because of fear and embarrassment.
鈥淭he kids realize that if they fall into one of these traps and post something online or exchange photos, it鈥檚 something that will follow them for the rest of their lives," said Lewis. "It could put them in a vulnerable position and ultimately they may be talking to a 50-year-old in Europe and not a 15-year-old kid down the street like they think."
The key to any future success with these new safety features is parental involvement, said digital anthropologist Giles Crouch.
"It all comes down to the parents actually spending time with their kids to learn how they are using these platforms," said Crouch. "And will they take the time to put these controls on their kids鈥 phones."
The program is being released in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, countries that are commonly targeted by sextortionists based on data provided by Meta.
This new campaign includes a feature that prevents teens 16 and under from making changes to their teen account settings on Instagram without their parents鈥 permission.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man charged after attempting to force his way into the House of Commons: police
On the tenth anniversary of the shooting on Parliament Hill, a man was arrested and charged with trespassing as he attempted to push past security guards into the House of Commons.
'We all got through it': Canadian family stuck in Cuba recalls ordeal amid massive blackout
Ellen Francis says she and her family were having a great time at one of Cuba's famously stunning beaches and exploring the popular tourist town of Varadero when the situation turned into something like a scary movie.
Cooldown expected across Canada before above-seasonal temperatures return
Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week. The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.
One dead in multistate E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders, CDC says
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Tuesday regarding an E. coli outbreak that it says is linked with McDonald鈥檚 Quarter Pounders.
Kevin Vickers says 'not a day that goes by' he doesn't think about Parliament Hill shooting
On the 10-year anniversary of the deadly Parliament Hill shooting, former sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers says there's 'not a day that goes by' where he doesn't think about it.
A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.
No Canadians in Cuba have requested consular assistance, Global Affairs says
None of the more than 1,600 Canadians currently registered in Cuba have requested consular assistance in returning to Canada, Global Affairs Canada confirmed to CTVNews.ca.
Former Conservative leader says Trudeau 'should move on' amid efforts to oust him
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'should move on,' as he faces growing inner-caucus turmoil.
Local Spotlight
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥