Member-only story
Instagram’s Latest Anti-Bullying Moves Still Fall Short
The image-sharing website announced new tools and policies designed to curb harassment, but users still aren’t safe
Earlier this week, Instagram finally announced plans to launch a new anti-bullying feature. In a recent blog post, and as reported by the BBC, new Instagram head Adam Mosseri said, “We can do more to prevent bullying from happening on Instagram, and we can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves.”
No one could argue with that, but I do have concerns.
One is that this action has been too long coming. The social media network has faced criticisms over its bullying policy for years. The announcement follows renewed pressure to address the issue after British teenager Molly Russell committed suicide after using the platform to broadcast her intention to do so. Is what Instagram is proposing too little, too late? A cynical ploy to offset criticism that they didn’t act in time?
My other issue is that, while it’s commendable that Instagram is employing A.I. to recognize content that may be abusive or harmful, implementing a feature that simply asks, “Are you sure you want to post this?” is a lackluster response to a life-and-death issue. It’s the sort of thing I…
