Instagram has announced multiple new tools to protect users from seeing abusive content on the platform.
A new Hidden Requests feature lets you prevent potentially offensive direct message requests from appearing in your inbox. They’ll move to a dedicated Hidden Requests folder.
With this, Instagram says you can create a list of words, phrases and emojis that you don’t want to appear in message requests. This will be available in a new section of the Privacy settings, titled Hidden Words.
This tool focuses on DM requests, because this is where people usually receive abusive messages – unlike your regular DM inbox, where you receive messages from friends. It will work in a similar way to the comment filters we already offer, which allow you to hide offensive comments and choose what terms you don’t want people to use in comments under your posts
It is also making it harder for somebody you’ve blocked to contact you with another account they may have created. When blocking somebody, you’ll have the option to block their account and any future accounts they make.
The new safety features will be available in the next few weeks. Read more on the Instagram blog.
