Instagram is now filtering trolls’ comments, and this is a mental health game-changer
Internet trolls aren’t just casually annoying — they can actually damage a person’s mental wellbeing. To better the online bullying situation on its platform, Instagram announced that it will begin filtering trolls’ comments — a huge step toward making Instagram comments a more supportive space.
Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom announced the platform’s new mission at the F8 conference on May 1st. The company later posted the announcement on its own Instagram page, stating, “Starting today, Instagram will filter bullying comments intended to harass or upset people in our community.”
This is Instagram’s latest and most hands-on approach to filtering hateful comments. According to engadget.com, in September 2016, the platform enabled a tool that let users filter and block content featuring specific words. And more recently, in 2017, Instagram introduced a filter for offensive comments.
"To be clear: we don't tolerate bullying on Instagram," Systrom said at Tuesday's F8 conference. "Our Community Guidelines have always prohibited bullying on our platform, and I'm proud to announce this next step in our ongoing commitment to keeping Instagram an inclusive, supportive place for all voices."
According to Instagram’s latest blog post, this most recent troll filter will hide “comments containing attacks on a person’s appearance or character, as well as threats to a person’s well-being or health.”
Even when the troll filter is turned off (which can be done in the app’s Comment Controls center), bullying comments will still be flagged and sent to Instagram.
Instagram will not only tackle the troll situation — the platform also wants to reward those who promote positivity. Systrom announced that on Saturday, May 5th, Instagram will be hosting a Kindness Prom to celebrate those who are spreading positivity on the platform.
"These young leaders are inspiring their peers by helping kindness, acceptance, and support grow on Instagram and in the world."
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Take a seat, trolls: Your time on Instagram is up. We’re more than ready to dive into a more positive, uplifting, and supportive social media space.
