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Instagram has recently Announced two new features in an attempt to further curb the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic on its platform.
Instagram is joining the fray as multiple media sites create and implement similar features in the wake of massive misinformation and paranoia online. A brief summary of all the actions taken by Instagram peers can help us better contextualize the importance of their own efforts. Facebook, the parent company of the app, has decided to notify users when they find posts with false information, in addition to banning all guilty parties. Twitter, while also flagging posts, has started adding warning labels to tweets with “objectively questionable” information, while simultaneously decreasing the reach and engagement of those tweets. Notable efforts on their own rights, and certainly proactive steps to stem the flow of toxicity from communities such as anti-vaccine and pandemic deniers. Now, let’s take a look at what Instagram offers its users.
The first pandemic measure focuses less on preventing misinformation and more on general security. In areas where COVID-19 cases are experiencing an increase, notifications will be sent to users in those areas. The notification, highlighting the increase, will also be accompanied by contact information, connecting the local community with relevant centers such as WHO, CDC, etc. This measure seeks to prevent users from contracting the virus in the first place by automatically informing them to be alert and alert. A very different approach, it should be noted, from other social media outlets that have remained focused on tackling misinformation.
The second feature revolves around the interaction of the community with the application itself. If users are found searching for COVID-19, vaccine, or any other term related to the pandemic, they will also be provided with credible resources (such as the WHO and CDC mentioned above) to help navigate through the combination of reliable online information and unreliable. easier. While these links to strong factual sources have been spotted on major social media interfaces like YouTube and the aforementioned Facebook and Twitter, it is good to see Instagram taking the lead in spreading factual information online.
Aside from Instagram’s initial promise to ban hashtags that lead to misleading or conspiratorial information, it appears the app has a strong understanding of its plan to tackle groups spreading paranoia online. And not a moment too late. With the recent development and launch of vaccines around the world, and the reactionary tirades of the Anti-Vaccination Movement online, social media conglomerates have started to act at the right time.
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