From fashion to music and news, it’s quite safe to say that interacting through Instagram has become second nature—for better or for worse. And the American social app is doing everything it can to keep it that way.
Taking another step towards making their platform safer and less prone to bots and random messages, Instagram has just announced a new feature that will aim to limit DMs from unwanted accounts. And it’s much needed. Who hasn’t come across unwanted request messages from ghost accounts trying to lure you in with bait links to strip you from your details. And as data protection is the hot topic at the moment, there really is no better time and place to put these new amendments in place.
In practice, here’s what will change exactly. Accounts that will have recently followed you will not be able to message you as easily as they could before. So, say goodbye to most thirst trap accounts, unless you’re really after them. We won’t judge you, promise.
The second major update will allow you to mute and block specific words from being commented on your posts or messaged to you directly. Really, the Hidden Word feature is the much-needed breather we were all waiting for.
Utterly useful and hopefully putting a straight end to the abuse too many have received in the recent years on the app, the research conducted mirrored “that a lot of negativity towards public figures comes from people who don’t actually follow them, or who have only recently followed them, and who simply pile on in the moment,” as Instagram’s statement read.
Now that the trend was explicitly identified, the app will go back to its primary and essential purpose allowing you to “to hear from your long-standing followers, while limiting contact from people who might only be coming to your account to target you.”
