Cyberbullying is an unfortunate byproduct of the social media and internet revolution. However, several social media platforms are stepping up and trying to tackle the issue head-on.
Instagram, for instance, is the latest to join the anti-bullying bandwagon.
The social media giant is currently testing a feature which will allow users to ‘shadow ban’ their bullies.
Essentially a user can make the bully’s comment invisible to everyone in a way that it is visible only to them (the bully). A user can also hide when they’re active on Instagram and that they’ve read a direct message.
This is to give the user the opportunity to think and reflect upon what they’re going to write as one is usually well aware when they’re trolling or bullying someone.
The app has, in the past, introduced other anti-abuse features like the ability to view images from unknown users only when the receiver accepts and more such features.
Cyber-bullying is a problem that needs to be tackled head on. It’s great that Instagram is taking a stand and creating a safe online community for its users.