Facebook launches new tool to combat 'revenge porn'

Facebook is tightening up its security, because it has just launched a set of new tools designed to combat “revenge porn.”

The social media network announced the news on Wednesday, revealing that it collaborated with Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, the National Network to End Domestic Violence and other experts to create the system.

How will it work?

The site will allow users to flag intimate images that seem to have been shared without permission. Members of its consent operations team will then be notified, and they will review the picture to decide whether or not to remove it. The account that posted the photo will also be under evaluation.

Additionally, the platform has developed a photo-matching function that will detect when someone attempts to share an upload that has already been deleted.

“These tools, developed in partnership with safety experts, are one example of the potential technology has to help keep people safe. Facebook is in a unique position to prevent harm, one of our five areas of focus as we help build a global community,” the company said in a statement.

While the tool is reliant on people flagging inappropriate content, which means people in private groups could ignore it, Facebook said it looks forward to "building on these tools and working with other companies to explore how they could be used across the industry.”

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