Cyberbullying is a major concern in this internet age and some of that manifests on Instagram as well. Instagram is now acting against that with two new anti-bullying features: ‘Rethink’ and ‘Restrict’.
We know bullying is a challenge many face, particularly young people. We are committed to leading the industry in the fight against online bullying, and we are rethinking the whole experience of Instagram to meet that commitment.
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram
Rethink…
Instagram said it is using artificial intelligence to recognise comments that resemble the kind that are most often reported as inappropriate by users.
Take for example, a person types “you are so ugly and stupid”, and gets interrupted with a notice from Instagram saying, “Are you sure you want to post this? Learn more”.
The feature doesn’t necessarily prevent people from leaving negative comments but according to Instagram, “it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.”
…and Restrict
Instagram also says that a new feature called Restrict will be rolled out soon, which will allow users secretly block bullies.
“Once you Restrict someone, comments on your posts from that person will only be visible to that person. You can choose to make a restricted person’s comments visible to others by approving their comments. Restricted people won’t be able to see when you’re active on Instagram or when you’ve read their direct messages.” says Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram.
Also, a restricted person won’t know they have been restricted and this is important because blocking a bully can sometimes make things worse for the victim in the real world.
Mosseri also says that it is Instagram’s priority to create a safe environment on the social media platform and to keep working towards tackling the problem.