Instagram Introduces New Tools To Combat Bullying

Instagram has made more moves to ensure those who use the app aren’t getting verbally assaulted by the millions of users who also use the app as well. In a new blog post made to the app’s official website, a new procedure is detailed that will have users receive notifications if Instagram thinks their comment is a form of bullying or hateful. 

“This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote. “From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.”

Another tool (that has yet to be released) will allow users to restrict certain accounts from even having their mean statement visible. This way, the victim of a hateful comment can approve or disapprove the post. “You can choose to make a restricted person’s comments visible to others by approving their comments,” Adam added. “Restricted people won’t be able to see when you’re active on Instagram or when you’ve read their direct messages.”