Audio By Carbonatix
Instagram is toughening its stance on hate speech in direct messages.
The company announced today that it’ll start disabling the accounts of people who repeatedly send hateful messages.
First-time offenders won’t be able to send messages for an undefined period of time, but if they send hateful messages again, their account will be disabled.
“We’ll also disable new accounts created to get around our messaging restrictions, and will continue to disable accounts we find that are created purely to send abusive messages,” an Instagram blog post states.
Instagram’s hate speech policy bans attacks on people based on protected characteristics, including race or religion, as well as “more implicit forms of hate speech,” like content depicting blackface and anti-Semitic tropes.
Instagram says it also cooperates with law enforcement when necessary to assist in hate speech cases.
This update to hate speech processes stems from a situation in the UK where soccer stars were targeted with racist abuse on Instagram after losing a match.
Prince William, who is also the president of England’s Football Association, issued a statement last month saying “racist abuse - whether on the pitch, in the stands, or on social media - is despicable and it must stop now.”
Four football clubs also issued a statement against the abuse, and the mayor of Greater Manchester pushed the social networks to step up in helping curb it.
This procedural update could dissuade people from sending a terrible message but will also only work if Instagram can continue to quickly disable accounts as they pop up.
Latest Stories
-
Police hunt gunmen after fatal robbery attack on Mobile Money vendor
1 hour -
Speaker Alban Bagbin donates 16,584 uniforms, commissions two classrooms at Nadowli-Kaleo
1 hour -
Sweety Aborchie Writes: The Half-Built Staircase, Women, Power, Politics (Issue 4)
2 hours -
See the areas that will be affected by ECG’s planned maintenance on Tuesday, June 9
2 hours -
KMA orders immediate evacuation ahead of Santasi-Asokwa Interchange construction
2 hours -
I’ll be the first Ashanti Regional Chairman to become NPP National Chairman – Wontumi
2 hours -
I’m willing to sacrifice everything for NPP’s 2028 victory – Wontumi
2 hours -
I had to tell my children we’re renovating the house – Father reveals after court-ordered eviction displaces his family
2 hours -
GES releases Academic Intervention Fund for schools
2 hours -
Canada issues strict food import rules ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
2 hours -
No one can campaign more than me – Wontumi declares readiness to unite and lead NPP
2 hours -
Permit audit step in right direction but not enough – Structural engineer
2 hours -
‘We want power, not English lessons’ – Chairman Wontumi
3 hours -
Kotoko appoint former Dutch goalkeeper Stanley Menzo as Technical Director
3 hours -
Wontumi says challenges have prepared him to lead NPP to victory
3 hours