Tech
SOME Instagram users have applauded the social media site for setting to launch a feature referred to as “shadow ban’’ where users can restrict other users from publicly commenting on their posts.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, the Instagram users said the new feature would help to curb the menace of cyber bullying.
The social media had announced on its official page, recently that it was working to root out bullying on its platform with a new tool named shadow ban.
Shadow ban according to Instagram will effectively allow users to ban people who are bullying them online.
“Instagram’s next big fix for online bullying is coming in the form of artificial intelligence-flagged comments and the ability for users to restrict accounts from publicly commenting on their posts.
“The team is launching a test soon that’ll give users the power to essentially “shadow ban” a user from their account, meaning the account holder can “restrict” another user, which makes their comments visible only to themselves.
“ It also hides when the account holder is active on Instagram or when they’ve read a direct message’’.
Adejoke Quassim, a 20-year-old undergraduate, said the feature, if put into effect, would reduce negative content on the social site and also isolate bullies.
A civil servant, John Hope told NAN that the shadow banning of bullies would reduce hurtful and harassing comments on the social site.
He said that it would eventually reduce depression induced by online bullying.
A science and technology teacher with, Bright Private Schools, Abuja, Sani Abubakar, said the feature was necessary to sanitise the online social site.
“Some people just come online and write whatever they like under other people’s posts without a second thought. This is a welcomed innovation by Instagram.
An information technology expert, Simon Zeal, said the Instagram was putting Artificial Intelligence to best use by prior notification to an intending poster that their comment may be distasteful.
“I read somewhere that depending on your choice of words, the AI-powered rethink tool will flag comments that could be considered offensive before they are posted.
“For example, a user considered to be a bully will be asked, Are you sure you want to post this?
“This gives such poster the opportunity to reconsider their choice of vile words and this is the tool at its best,” he said.
-NAN
BE
– July 26, 2019 16:05 GMT
Tags: Online Bullying: Instagram users applaud “shadow ban’’ feature
