Facebook is now working on a new feature for its photo-sharing platform dubbed Instagram. This new feature will aim to make the service a safer place for users while also combatting hate speech. The social media platform will now automatically filter out abusive DMs. This means that direct message requests with offensive words, phrases, and emojis will automatically get filtered out.
Instagram to combat hate speech by automatically filtering the abusive DMs!
This is not the first time Instagram is trying to battle hate speech on its platform. Earlier this year, the company announced that it will start to disable the accounts with a record of sending multiple abusive messages. Well, it is now taking things up a notch by allowing users to filter out the abusive DMs automatically.
Of course, this new feature will target celebrities and public figures. This means that not every user would be able to try it out. Celebrities and public figures receive a large number of DMs on daily basis and most of them are more on the harmful side. This new feature might sound familiar. For those who’re unaware, Instagram brought offensive comments filter that automatically blocks comments that attack a persons’ appearance or character back in 2018.
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Instagram will allow users to enable or disable this message requests filter in a new section ‘Hidden words’. If enabled, abusive DMs will automatically be filtered out and pushed to a seperate folder. What’s new in this folder is the fact that DMs would appear concealed meaning users cna browse messages without needing to read it. Users will also have options to read, delete or report the filtered messages.
To filter out abusive DMs, Instagram is going to use a preset list of offensive phrases. The company claims that the list has been created by working with leading anti-discrimination and anti-bullying organizations. Of course, users will also have an option to add custom words to the list.
rollout will happen in the coming weeks
According to the announcement, this new feature will soon roll out in several countries in the coming weeks. Sadly, there’s no information regarding the name of the countries. Whenever the rollout will kickstart, we’ll make sure to keep our readers updated
