Instagram Comes Out With AI Tools to Tackle Online Bullying

The photo-sharing platform has created tools that’ll prevent users from bullying others.

The photo-sharing platform is looking to become a safer place with the use of AI tools.

(Photo: iStock)

Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram on Tuesday announced their latest tools to help combat bullying, including a new way to identify and report bullying in photos.

The company is using Machine Learning (ML) technology to proactively detect bullying in photos and their captions. Recently, Adam Mosseri replaced Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger as the new head who abruptly announced their departure in September.

The new technology has begun to roll out and will continue to in the coming weeks.

A few months ago, the company introduced a bullying comment filter to proactively detect and hide bullying comments from Feed, Explore and Profile.

The Facebook-owned photo-centric platform has recently been in the news for creating a space for ads that hasn’t pleased the users and with measures like these, it is looking to change the mood.

“We are now using machine-learning technology to proactively detect bullying in photos and their captions and send them to our Community Operations team to review. This change will help us identify and remove significantly more bullying – and it’s a crucial next step since many people who experience or observe bullying don’t report it.”

Instagram

Mosseri was quick to highlight the need to control bullying via platforms like Instagram that are popular with the youth across the world, for its interactive and shareable nature.

“This change will help us identify and remove significantly more bullying – and it’s a crucial next step since many people who experience or observe bullying don’t report it.”

Adam Mosseri, Head, Instagram

In addition to this, Instagram is also letting users have a ‘good feeling’ about using Instagram, with use of heart emoticons, which claims to be a sign of support for person under duress.

You can get these features by opening the camera app, tap the face icon at the bottom and choose the new camera effect. Also, in selfie mode, user can have hearts fill the screen, with the option to tag a friend you want to support. This person will then receive a notification about his/her support.