There is no way for anyone, or even groups of people, to efficiently police a platform with more than a billion users in real time. This is where automation and AI shine.
On its 10th birthday, the popular photo- and video-sharing platform Instagram, said that it is releasing some visual features update, including one that allows users to change the app icon. With that, the company is also introducing some measures to reduce abusive comments on the platform.
The first feature is its ability to automatically block offensive comments using AI.
Initially in beta, the feature that is somewhat similar to Twitter’s 'Hide Reply', can detect those types of comments by using previously reported offensive comments.
By hiding inappropriate or abusive remarks behind an extra click, the feature supposedly helps disincentivize users to ever post those sorts of content.
Users can tap on the 'View Hidden Comments' to see the comments the AI blocked for them. The social network can also automatically remove all comments that violate its community guidelines.
On top of this feature, Instagram is also expanding its 'nudge' feature, which notifies users when they’re posting an offensive comment.
At its early iteration, this feature prompts the offensive user only once.
But with the update, Instagram can warn users if they try to post offensive comment repeatedly.
Instagram didn’t say any numbers to describe this feature's performance, but said that it saw "a meaningful decrease in negative interactions" in the comments section since its launch.
These features that have been introduced as National Bullying Prevention Month gets underway, are planned to be made available globally to all users.
To start, the features work on languages like English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic (Android only). Instagram said it’ll expand these features to other languages in the future.
Related: With These Two Features, Instagram Wants To End Profanity And Cyberbullying
The updates don't stop there.
Instagram also returns the private 'Stories Map', which offers a retrospective of the Stories users have shared over the last three years. There is also a pair of wellbeing updates, and the previously announced IGTV Shopping update.
And as for the icons, Instagram has a selection of custom app icons for those who want to redesign their phone's home screen.
With the update, Instagram users across both iOS and Android can opt between a range of icons in shades of orange, yellow, green, purple, black, white and more. There’s also a rainbow-colored Pride icon and several versions of classic icons, for those who want a more nostalgic feel.
This should also come in handy following the release of iOS 14.
Given the enormity of the Facebook-owned photo- and video-sharing network, which serves more than a billion users, these features could bring influential changes to the platform.