Instagram is a versatile platform with many uses, catering to both individuals and businesses.
People join for specific reasons, whether to share life moments, connect with family and friends, express themselves, or grow their brand through influencer marketing and promotions.
However, before any post can make an impact, it needs an audience. And with an audience comes opinions—both positive and negative.
While some feedback is uplifting, others can be harmful.
Instagram recognizes this and is working to address the issue.
And before anything, it quickly drew criticisms and backlash.
The feature takes form of a button, which is shown next to comments on Instagram.
Users can interact with it if they don't like a particular comment or don’t think it’s relevant. Interacting with this button will send a signal to the platform's algorithm, in order to downrank the comment.
In other words, the feature is a way for users to dislike comments.
Much like on Reddit, the feature is able to discourage trolls or negative and irrelevant comments, Instagram parent company Meta hopes.
This is certainly possible, since downvoting a comment will drop its ranking, making it less visible, meaning that it will have less interaction. Trolls will definitely shut up if they think their trolling is useless.
However, unlike on Reddit, the number of times the post has been disliked will not be shown.
"Our hope is that this might help make comments more friendly on Instagram," said Instagram head Adam Moseri
Meta said that this test is to contribute toward improving the quality of the comment section by reducing the likelihood of mob-like behavior.
"We’re working on ways to help people better control their Instagram experience and what they’re seeing on the app," a company spokesperson said.
"We’re testing a new button next to each comment on a Reel or Feed post for people to privately signal they don’t feel good about that particular comment or find it relevant. We’re testing this with a very small group of people to start. Later, we may also test moving these comments lower down in the comments section to help create a better experience."
Many people argue that this feature could actually make bullying even worse.
On one hand, it helps by making trolls less visible. But on the other, it might just give them another way to spread negativity.