Instagram is taking the fight to online harassment with the introduction of a keyword filter for all users – which means that any user can block words that they find “offensive or inappropriate”.
CEO Kevin Systrom wrote in a blog post today the thinking behind the move:
The beauty of the Instagram community is the diversity of its members. All different types of people — from diverse backgrounds, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and more — call Instagram home, but sometimes the comments on their posts can be unkind. To empower each individual, we need to promote a culture where everyone feels safe to be themselves without criticism or harassment. It’s not only my personal wish to do this, I believe it’s also our responsibility as a company. So, today, we’re taking the next step to ensure Instagram remains a positive place to express yourself.
It’s a relatively big move: though many social media services offer keyword filters, they generally only do so for businesses and professional presences and not for the general population. The ability to do this for users who find themselves at the receiving end of abuse online is a welcome step.
Also, if your shithead mates have a nickname for you that you hate, you can block that too. Sorry lads! I won’t cop a single criticism for my enormous and demonstrably rude head via Instagram ever again.
Source: Instagram.
Photo: Getty Images.
