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In one of the most notable moves to address the problem of abusive activities online, Instagram is implementing new features that will allow users to filter out the comments of trolls. By activating the feature, abusive comments and certain offensive words will not show up on user accounts. This essentially neutralizes the ability of trolls to stalk and hurt Instagram account users.
Forbes cited a study done in Australia, which highlighted the abuse that people are subjected to online. According to the study, as many as 76 percent of women under 30 have experienced abuse in some form or another, which emphasizes the seriousness of trolling and how widespread it has become.
By providing users with the ability to remove hurtful comments or to make sure that specific words that pertain to racial slurs, gender insults, and threats won’t ever show up on their feed, Instagram is empowering its users to resist the negative impact of abusive comments.
The news was first covered by The Washington Post, where the head of public policy at Instagram, Nicky Jackson Colaco explained what the social media platform was going to do.
“Our goal is to make Instagram a friendly, fun and, most importantly, safe place for self expression," Colaco told the Post. "We have slowly begun to offer accounts with high volume comment threads the option to moderate their comment experience. As we learn, we look forward to improving the comment experience for our broader community.”
The first to gain access to this new feature are likely going to be celebrities, as Instagram is expected to give priority treatment to high-profile users. As these users are the most likely to get the most amount of hateful comments, it’s only natural to assume that they have the most pressing need to filter such activities.
There was a portion in the report which speculated on Taylor Swift’s use of the feature during her spat with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, but Instagram did not comment on the suggestion.
