Instagram adds tools to Direct Messages to prevent harassment

Instagram is adding extra tools to prevent abuse in Direct Messages, including filters to block offensive language.

The social media platform announced the new features on 21 April.

Users can now filter out abusive DM requests and set up lists of words they want hidden. The app is also taking steps to block abusive users who try to open multiple accounts.

The new features come not long after Instagram introduced stricter penalties for abusive accounts. They also expanded users’ control of their DM messages to delete or block them in bulk.

Filtering abusive Direct Messages on Instagram

Users will be able to activate a feature that filters out DM requests that contain offensive words, phrases, or emojis. The feature works similar to Instagram’s comments filter where users can hide offensive comments.

In addition to a pre-defined list, users can also manually create lists of harmful language that the app will then filter. The app will also hide common misspellings of abusive words that you have listed manually.

The app will also place any abusive language it picks up in a separate hidden requests folder.

When you open the folder, the language will be covered and can be uncovered by clicking on it. After which, you will have the option to accept, delete, or report the message.

You will be able to access these filter features in a new dedicated section called “Hidden words” in the app’s privacy settings.

Instagram is also making it harder for users to be contacted again by someone they’ve blocked. When a user blocks someone, they will have the option to preemptively block new accounts the person may create.

The company will also remove accounts from users whose previous accounts were disabled for breaking the app’s rules.

Instagram will begin rolling out the new features in a few countries during the next few weeks. It will add more countries over a few months.

Feature image: Unsplash/Andriyko Podilnyk

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