This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
On July 9, 2019, Instagram launched a new anti-bullying feature to help deter nasty comments on the platform. The feature, powered by AI, notifies users if their comment may be considered offensive before it's posted.
According to Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, the new feature gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment, preventing the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification.
From early tests of this feature, Instagram found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.
Instagram will also soon launch a new feature called Restrict, which helps users to protect their accounts from unwanted interactions, including comments and DMs. Once you Restrict someone, comments on your posts from that person will only be visible to that person.
However, you can then choose to make a restricted person's comments visible to others by approving their comments. Thankfully, restricted people won't be able to see when you're active on Instagram or when you've read their direct messages.
Mr. Mosseri added that it's Instagram's responsibility to create a safe environment on the platform. He emphasized that this has been an important priority for Instagram for some time, and they are continuing to invest in better understanding and tackling this problem.
The Comment Warning feature is available worldwide from today, while the Restrict feature will be rolled out over the coming weeks.
