Dive Brief:
- All Instagram users can now moderate comments on their posts, according to TechCrunch.
- The new feature allows users to specify which keywords they want to blacklist from comments on their posts. Instagram first launched this feature for brands in July, but the functionality is now available to all users.
- “To empower each individual, we need to promote a culture where everyone feels safe to be themselves without criticism or harassment," Kevin Systrom, Instagram co-founder and CEO, wrote in a blog post. "It’s not only my personal wish to do this, I believe it’s also our responsibility as a company.”
Dive Insight:
Top level filtering of comments on social media can help brands in many ways. Instagram's new tool makes it less critical to constantly monitor brand posts for negative comments, allowing their keyword blacklist to do the heavy lifting. While negative feedback can be constructive for brands, it can also give off a poor perception of the brand on social media.
By allowing all users to control their comment sections, Instagram is making the user experience better for everyone (except internet trolls). Instagram's parent company, Facebook, has made it clear that it is dedicated to providing its users with a good and clean experience across its platforms, while still delivering value for advertisers. The latest change to premptively remove negative comments should help make the platform more friendly to brands.