Instagram to hide negative comments on posts
Instagram has announced that it will automatically hide negative comments in posts, a measure the Facebook-owned media platform is taking to reduce bullying and harassment.
Instagram said it has been testing the feature in recent days and said it will target comments that users have reported as inappropriate in the past.
Users must now click the ‘View Hidden Comments’ button to unveil a negative comment that has been covered.
Instagram has also made changes to alert users when they are about to post a negative message.
After typing, they will see a pop-up saying ‘This may go against our guidelines’.
This will serve as a notification that Instagram will probably hide the comment, investigate and perhaps delete their account.
“These new warnings let people take a moment to step back and reflect on their words and lay out the potential consequences should they proceed,” Instagram said.
BULLYING
“Since launching comment warning, we saw that reminding people of the consequences of bullying on Instagram and providing real-time feedback as they are writing the comment is the most effective way to shift behavior,” the company further said.
Instagram has however not specified what kind of language or comments will be hidden. The platform automatically deletes posts and comments that are obscene, praise organized crime, or threaten bodily harm.
Around 3.5 million users have used the new feature to hide, delete or report accounts and comments in the last year.
Last week Twitter announced that it will remove any posts wishing or hoping for someone’s death.
“We do not tolerate content that wishes, hopes or expresses a desire for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against an individual or group of people,” Twitter said.