Instagram will warn you if you are about to be rude! New anti-bullying measures include ‘offensive content’ warning and ability to block specific users’ comments
- Instagram announced a series of new anti-bullying measures for the site on Mon
- The new Restrict feature will let you hide comments from a specific person
- This will be done without notifying them, and comment will still show for them
- The feature will also prevent them from seeing if you’ve read a direct message
- Another tool will use AI to flag potentially offensive posts so you can rethink it
Instagram has launched new tools to help reduce the visibility of hateful comments on its platform.
The firm revealed on Monday that it has begun rolling out an AI-powered tool that will notify users if the comment they’re about to post may be ‘considered offensive.’
This will give that person a chance to review their comment and potentially reconsider.
Instagram has also added a new feature called Restrict that will give users greater control over the comments that appear on their posts, allowing you to hide comments from specific people without them finding out.
The idea is that this will help users protect themselves from online abuse by quietly taking action to limit a bully’s presence on their profile, without inadvertently provoking further conflict.
The firm revealed on Monday that it has begun rolling out an AI-powered tool that will notify users if the comment they’re about to post may be ‘considered offensive.’ Potentially offensive posts may be met with an alert reminding users to keep Instagram ‘a supportive place’
‘Once you Restrict someone, comments on your posts from that person will only be visible to that person,’ Instagram says.
Restricting a person will also mean that user can’t see when you are active on Instagram or when you’ve read a direct message from them.
You’ll still have the option to make this user’s comments visible to others if you with, according to the firm.
‘It’s our responsibility to create a safe environment on Instagram,’ Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri said in a blog post on Monday.
‘This has been an important priority for us for some time, and we are continuing to invest in better understanding and tackling this problem.’
According to Instagram, the site has been rolling out its new anti-bullying AI tool over the last few days.
Moving forward, potentially offensive posts may be met with an alert reminding users to keep Instagram ‘a supportive place.’
‘We’re asking people to rethink comments that seem similar to others that have been reported,’ the pop-up reads.
Instagram has also added a new feature called Restrict that will give users greater control over the comments that appear on their posts, allowing you to hide comments from specific people without them finding out
It will also give you the option to notify the site if it’s made a mistake.
Instagram says the initial tests of the system suggest it ‘encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.’
Together it’s hoped that these tools will give Instagram users more power against bullies online, and give bullies less of a platform to stand on.
‘We know bullying is a challenge many face, particularly young people,’ Mosseri wrote.
‘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.’
WHAT ARE THE EIGHT DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE CAN BE CYBER BULLIED?
According to Dr Larisa McLoughlin, a researcher at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, cyber bullying can include both overt (name calling, mocking, shaming) or covert (exclusion, isolation) aspects.
Cyberbullying can involve written-verbal behaviors such as phone calls, text messages and comments on social media.
Eight examples of cyberbullying involve:
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