Instagram rolls out keyword-based comment filtering

instagram-9-3-for-ios-comment-moderation

Instagram today announced it has rolled out a new anti-harrasment comment moderation tool in its refreshed mobile app for iOS and Android. This feature requires Instagram 9.3 for iOS, available at no charge from the App Store. In addition to comment moderation, Instagram 9.3 includes an enhancement for Stories where you can add color to your text by swiping the colors above the keyboard to revel more. Or, simply tap and hold a circle to select a custom color.

Acknowledging that sometimes the comments on Instagram posts “can be unkind,” the team set out to promote a culture where “everyone feels safe to be themselves without criticism or harassment.” The new comment moderation feature is keyword-based so you’ll first need to provide some keywords against which comments will be filtered out.

First, go to Instagram settings, tap Comments and slide the Hide Inappropriate Comments switch to the ON position. Flipping the toggle will filter comments using a default list of keywords (currently English-only) that contains the most common inappropriate and offensive words on Instagram, including profanity.

Alternatively, enter your own comma-separated custom keywords in the field below: these can include any words, phrases, numbers or emojis you’d like to filter out. “Currently, custom keyword filtering doesn’t support languages without spaces (such as Chinese, Japanese and Thai),” cautions Instagram.

Comment filtering is applied to both new and existing comments on your posts. When you turn off comment filtering, filtered comments on your posts will be restored. And like before, you can swipe to delete individual comments on your posts at any time, as well as report inappropriate content and block accounts.

To learn more about comment moderation, be sure to visit the Instagram Help Center.

Recently, Instagram’s gained a long-overdue pinch-zooming feature for photos and videos in the main feed, on user profiles and elsewhere in the app, a dedicated low-light button to help you take better night shoots, Stories recommendations under the Explore tab, a new Events channel and other perks.

In case you didn’t get the memo, Instagram recently removed GPS-aggregating Photo Maps from user profiles because that feature was unpopular with fans.

Grab Instagram for free from the App Store.

Source: Instagram