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Anti-bullying features and Instagram: what's your take?

chubbydumplingchubbydumpling Posts: 487 Listening Ear
edited August 2019 in Sex & Relationships
Since Instagram have been in the news recently, owing to their new anti-bullying features, now seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk about cyberbullying and how to deal with it. 

With mobile technology being so widely available, cyberspace has become the new arena for bullies. Cyberbullying affects people of all ages, but it disproportionately impacts children and young adults, both of whom can become very distressed when being bullied online. This can be anything from trolling comments left on your posts to death threats. For many, cyberbullying affects their everyday lives and is a constant source of worry. 

Not only does it go on after school, college or work has finished, but it then carries through into the next day and the cycle continues.

Cyberbullying can make you feel totally overwhelmed, and embarrassed to speak out. Many children feel unable to confide in an adult because they feel ashamed and wonder whether they will be judged. In an effort to curb this, Instagram have introduced new anti-bullying features including a “shadow ban” to restrict bullies from commenting on your posts by allowing you the final say on who gets to view their comments. 

Are these features enough? What would you like to see being done to tackle online bullying?


Comments

  • coc0maccoc0mac Posts: 1,054 Wise Owl
    Hi @chubbydumpling

    love this thread - so important! I don't think one feature alone will ever be "enough", but I do think it is a great step in the right direction. I feel like it will make people stop and think before they post anything and sometimes that might be all they need to change their mind. A tiny change that could have a hugely positive effect on the person who would've received the message/comment/etc. 

    I think perhaps the consequences of cyberbullying should be made more aware of...but it's difficult to think of specific features. but hopefully instagram's work will catalyse other big companies to think of some other great strategies - anything helps :smile:
  • chubbydumplingchubbydumpling Posts: 487 Listening Ear
    Great insight, @coc0mac

    I like your point about making people more aware of the consequences of cyberbullying. A lot of schools are becoming more proactive about tackling negative behaviour (i.e. mentoring, student-teacher alliance groups) but more definitely needs to be done. 
  • alice123alice123 Posts: 88 Budding Regular
    hey @chubbydumpling

    What a great thread - cyberbullying is such an important conversation to have! I think it's so important (and overdue!) that instagram are acknowledging cyberbullying and trying to combat it. I agree with you @coc0mac that one 'solution' will never be enough and the consequences should be more emphasised, but I definitely think it's a step in the right direction.

    I also think it's really positive that schools are proactively tackling bad behaviour as well as the more institutions that are involved in combatting cyberbullying, the better.

  • chubbydumplingchubbydumpling Posts: 487 Listening Ear
    Hey @alice123

    You're absolutely right that this is a step in the right direction. I've long since stopped using Instagram (for unrelated reasons) but I think it's one of the most problematic social media platforms when it comes to bullying. It's a problem of their own creation but at least now they're being proactive about dealing with it. 
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