Instagram New tool to Filter out Abusive DM Requests

Apr 21,2024
2 min read
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#Instagram

Online abuse is common in various persons DM's especially Instagram DMs. To fight this, Instagram is working on a new tool that will help users easily filter out abusive DM requests.

As per the explanation of Instagram, most hateful or unwanted messages come from DM requests. DM are direct messages from users that have never messaged you before and/or that you may not even follow. There are multiple training of this model where a list of keywords and emojis that was developed in collaboration with leading anti-discrimination and anti-bullying organizations will be fed for filtering.

This new tool can be found as "Hidden Words" under the Privacy section of Settings. Any filtered DM requests will appear in a separate hidden requests folder and the message text will be covered so you can’t read it until you tap on the message. From there, you’ll be able to accept the request, delete it, or report it.

Instagram has also changed the working mechanism of Blocking a Contact. If you block a user, you’ll have the option to also block any new accounts that the user creates in an effort to contact you again. It’s not explained exactly how Instagram will know that the same user is creating a new account, but the extra effort needed may dissuade a blocked user from making further attempts. What I think how this will work, Instagram might block the user's IP address or the mac address, which will not allow the user to contact you again in the future if he or she made a new account to contact you.

This new DM request filter is rolling out to several countries in the coming weeks and will expand to more countries over the next few months. Meanwhile, the new account blocking feature will be available globally in the next few weeks.