This archive report was first published on 13 July 2019.
July 13, 2019
Concerns over online safety have been growing, particularly among parents, after a teenager took her own life following exposure to distressing content on social media.
Instagram, a popular photo-sharing network, has taken steps to address this issue by introducing an anti-bullying tool that uses artificial intelligence to recognize negative or inappropriate comments.
The tool prompts users to reconsider their comments before posting, displaying a message that says, 'Are you sure you want to post this? Learn more.'
Users can choose to ignore the message and post the comment anyway, but early tests have shown that the tool encourages some users to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.
The new procedure is being rolled out to English-speaking users first, with global availability in due course.
Instagram's chief executive, Adam Mosseri, acknowledged that the company can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves, but the new tool is a step in the right direction.
Earlier this year, the government published a white paper proposing tighter controls on technology firms, including the appointment of an independent regulator to direct ways in which companies should deal with all manner of abuse, including bullying.
