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Instagram Rolls Out 'Keyword Moderation Tool' That Will Filter Out Offensive Comments (macrumors.com) 220

Posted by BeauHD from the turn-a-blind-eye dept.
In an effort to "promote a culture where everyone feels safe to be themselves without criticism or harassment," Instagram has introduced today a "keyword moderation tool" that anyone can use to block offensive or inappropriate words. Mac Rumors reports: Referred to as a "keyword moderation tool," the feature will let each user type in words they find to be offensive, effectively hiding any mention of them in the comment section of their posts. The comments containing the harsh language will still be available for other Instagram users, but the company believes that allowing each user to determine which words to hide from their personal collection of photos will cultivate a "positive and safe" environment. To deal with abusive accounts, Instagram already lets users swipe to delete comments, report inappropriate comments and block accounts.
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Instagram Rolls Out 'Keyword Moderation Tool' That Will Filter Out Offensive Comments More

Instagram Rolls Out 'Keyword Moderation Tool' That Will Filter Out Offensive Comments

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  • Belgium (Score:5, Insightful)

    by OzPeter ( 195038 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:05AM (#52878149)

    Sounds like all this will do is allow the Instagram users to wrap a virtual towel around their heads.

    • Re:Belgium (Score:5, Funny)

      by Fire_Wraith ( 1460385 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:23AM (#52878255)
      That's a good thing though, right? I mean, what else are you supposed to do if you run into a virtual Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal?

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by ganjadude ( 952775 )
      which is the better way to go

      lets face it, people are offended by stupid shit these days, and instead of reporting others because they said a word that hurt your little feelings, just....block those words from getting to you. live in your safe space bubble, and let the rest of the world act like adults in peace

      • The problem is that the person has to enter those nasty words in to their profile. Now, not only do they have to think and type these offensive words, they will have to see them whenever they view their profile!

    • And you read the Slashdot comments with no moderation?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by OzPeter ( 195038 )

        And you read the Slashdot comments with no moderation?

        In general no, but that is not because I am worried about being offended by what exists at -1. More so that I come back to conversations later and pick out the +4 and +5 comments to get exposed to ideas that the people have deemed good.

        And on occasion I do read at -1 (especially when I am back tracking to find out why someone replied like they did)

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by epyT-R ( 613989 )

          That position leaves you blind to groupthink. Curation doesn't work well with controversial topics.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by OzPeter ( 195038 )

            That position leaves you blind to groupthink. Curation doesn't work well with controversial topics.

            Thats why I go back and see what prompted the groupthink decision.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by epyT-R ( 613989 )

        I read at -1. It's really not that bad. Here are the steps:

        1. use the scroll wheel/bars to move past posts that are obvious spam (there usually aren't that many of those)
        2. choose whether to moderate or participate
        3. benefit from considering opinions that don't jive with groupthink. it's ok to consider ideas without accepting them or taking them personally
        4. don't take the internet so seriously.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by elrous0 ( 869638 )

      Won't someone PLEASE protect the children from criticism!

    • To be fair, Instagram is a place to share pictures with people who like to see them, not a place to present new theses on good government.

      In other words, it's designed to be a nice warm towel room.

    • Sounds like all this will do is allow the Instagram users to wrap a virtual towel around their heads.

      You say that like it's a bad thing. We all know there are idiots out there. But life is much more pleasant if you don't have to see them. It's almost like the freeze-peach advocates here seem to believe it's the god given right of idiots to turn everything with a hint of public writability into a torrent of utter shit and somehow people who don't want to listen to that are stupid or evil.

  • Bubble boys and girls (Score:4, Insightful)

    by John Jorsett ( 171560 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:11AM (#52878181)
    I've already noticed on other forums a tendency to construct a cocoon where nothing disagreeable gets in, but the people try to do it by driving out or shutting up anyone with a contrary opinion. This tool will allow them to create their own little universe without having to eject or muzzle the meanies who insist on saying things they don't like. Everyone can now have their own customized online "safe room".

    • Re:Bubble boys and girls (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:42AM (#52878411)

      Oddly, though, those exact same people will have NO qualms, zero, none at all, to try to destroy their "opponents" mentally, financially and if at all possible physically.

      • Oddly, though, those exact same people will have NO qualms, zero, none at all, to try to destroy their "opponents" mentally, financially and if at all possible physically.

        Yeah. Pretty much just like every person, family, tribe, group, clan, village, city, region, state, and nation in the world.

        We are all guilty of "cocooning" to some extent. Territoriality and fear of others goes way back in human lineage, apparently even before we split off from the chimps.

        Anyways, not disagreeing, not agreeing, just observing.

        #exit soapbox

    • Basically Instagram is dragging itself screaming and kicking back to the nineties :|
    • And this is why millenials are such pansies"oh no, someone hurt my wittle fewlings!" Millenials need to grow the fuck up, and realize the world is a nasty place, and you can't jump down a hidey-hole everytime something you don't like happens (I grew up in the 1980s and I am transgender to boot! There were no "safe spaces" back then)

    • Re:Bubble boys and girls (Score:4, Insightful)

      by elrous0 ( 869638 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @11:21AM (#52879105)

      Snowflakes are very fragile and melt easily. They must be carefully protected to ensure that they're never exposed to anyone who might do something offensive or abusive, like disagreeing with them.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by SirSlud ( 67381 )

      Filtering some keywords on Instagram is not tantamount to allowing people to create their own little universe. I dunno, unless you have some other meaning of universe than I do.

    • Probably white as well.

      This tool will allow them to create their own little universe without having to eject or muzzle the meanies who insist on saying things they don't like.

      But more importantly, I'm betting John has never been threatened with and felt the very real fear of rape and murder for the crime of being a woman on the Internet.

  • Ah, "inappropriate" words... (Score:3)

    by argStyopa ( 232550 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:14AM (#52878193) Journal

    ...like Niggardly? ...or Pussy (as in pusillanimous)?

    Because nobody's ever figured out how to get around filters before.

    • Just wait 'til crappy "inappropriate word" filters start hitting other languages. A certain popular fantasy MMO censored the word "König" (German for king) because of that evil combination of N, I and G.

      Could anyone see how this could lead to people having to turn OFF that crappy filter in a FANTASY game so they can sensibly play it or at least understand what the damn quests are about?

    • context means nothing to these people, I am recently serving a week long ban on facebook for saying "faggot", referring to a bundle of sticks and a camp fire i was having, hell, i even explained the context so idiots wouldnt freak out but it didnt matter, week ban

      • To be fair, it is an anachronism.

        That ban is dumb, anyway.

      • Facebook is censoring now based on keywords?

  • don't bow down to communist gov blocks.

  • I don't really see an issue (Score:4, Interesting)

    by sunking2 ( 521698 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:19AM (#52878229)
    It's instagram. The idea is for 99% of people to post garbage pictures of themselves for fun. It's not about learning some life lesson about dealing with a world full of anonymous assholes who now can say what they want without looking someone in the face to do so.

  • . . . at no extra charge.

    Somebody explain to me, just when words, of and by themselves. became objectionable and people started claiming trauma for just SEEING them ?

    The Internet was SUPPOSED to bring free and unlimited communications and information to all. Instead, it's becoming a psychological minefield with individually-set DMZs.

    The Sweet Meteor of Death [facebook.com] can't come soon enough. . .

    • As long as it's individually set DMZs, I'm fine with this. What bothers me is that more and more some entitled little assholes think they may decide what everyone else may or may not see, and of course may or may not say.

    • It is not a government imposed censure, but a company which decided on their private turf to censure it (as an aside I think personally that that argument misses that some speech will be censored by most if not all private company and the effect is as good as government censorship).

      In the very end this is a private entity which can do whatever on their turf, including censoring swear word, sex stuff, certain political parties, or heck any instagram not starting by a vowel.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by lxs ( 131946 )

      Wordfilters really do make a difference.

      When I say: "You're a fucking genius!" my comment will be flagged as bad.
      When I say: "Every night, your mother sells her services down by the docks" my good intentions are immediately clear.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Pascoea ( 968200 )

        Wordfilters really do make a difference.

        What's the problem? Maybe I just don't like the word "fuck", and don't care to see it. Maybe I don't like the word "nigger" either. What's the problem if I want to block them from my news feed?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Pascoea ( 968200 )

      User-selected hugboxes

      I really don't see what the big deal is, and why so many people are up in arms over this? The user is able to filter words from their "feed" (or whateverthefuck Instagram uses) that they find objectionable. Maybe I just don't like word "bae", and I immediately discount the intelligence of someone that uses it. It's a free world, and I'm free to choose whether or not I want such ignorance in my world. Me blocking that word doesn't really affect anybody else in any way, does it?

    • Blasphemy has been around for ages, and really it's the same concept. You can't say that for it has offended the great spirit. Does it really matter what the reason is for trying to control people's words and minds are when the result is the same?

    • The Internet was SUPPOSED to bring free and unlimited communications and information to all.

      No, the internet was never intended to allow you to metaphorically shit all over someone's front lawn. If you want to spew crap, then do it on your own space. Don't expect everyone else to host you for free because you're too lazy to get your own space.

  • It isn't enough that I can decide what I can see, I want to decide what everyone can see! *TANTRUM*

  • I don't use twitter, but I'm sitting here trying to imagine some words that I'd never want to read, and I can't think of any. Maybe today I'm not feeling like hearing "Donald Trump" or "Hillary Clinton" or "Politics", but then maybe tomorrow I will want to hear a bit.

    I know there are words that others find vulgar or offensive, but I don't care about words, I care about ideas. And how the hell do you filter out ideas? For an example, I don't care about any of these words: "I can't wait to shred your da

    • I don't use twitter...

      Nice post on an article about Instagram.

    • I know there are words that others find vulgar or offensive, but I don't care about words, I care about ideas. And how the hell do you filter out ideas? For an example, I don't care about any of these words: "I can't wait to shred your daughter's vagina", but when put in that order, I do. Another example: "Black lives matter".

      What gets me is that most swears have legitimate uses, but I don't want to be bombarded by gratuitous vulgarities. I doubt a computer would ever be smart enough to block what I find offensive without a ton of false positives. Sometimes someone is so emotionally charged that only a vulgarity conveys all that emotion, but I dislike vulgarity to compensate for a small vocabulary.

      Or are other people's lives so simple that they merely excluding certain words makes the pain go away? I'm interested to know which words people find, under all circumstances, offensive.

      I find the F-bomb offensive, but if I mentally filter it out if it's not used with abandon. I've walked out of movies for hearing the

  • ****triggered****

  • I'm pussytive (Score:4, Funny)

    by Buchenskjoll ( 762354 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:38AM (#52878379)
    I can compile my own dicktionary. Please cuntinue the good work.

  • Why does this censorship article use the censorship icon, while the previous Facebook censorship article uses the facebook icon? Why not use the censorship icon for both?

  • I'm all for this concept (Score:3, Insightful)

    by GatorSnake ( 1978412 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @09:40AM (#52878395)

    While I am in the camp of those who would never filter out anything, I am not offended easily, I see this as the best possible solution to let those who find certain words or concepts "offensive" to opt out and stop trying to force their values on the rest of us. Putting the onus on the individual rather than the company to decide what she/he sees has to be the way forward if we are going to protect freedom of expression.

    While I agree this may cause "bubble" syndrome and allow for self-imposed isolation of various groups from each other, I think it could also provide some interesting life lessons. Think of a person who does a heavy self-censor without realizing the consequences, then hearing from friends that she missed out on a fun post because of it. Might cause people to start to question why they don't want to hear certain things or think certain thoughts.

    I can see the next big celebrity/athlete protest of intentionally using hashtags of broadly censored words just to draw attention to the fact that people shouldn't hide from realities they may disagree with or find scary.

  • The same people that will get up in arms about their "freedom of speech" to show up and call someone faggot/nigger/etc will also get up in arms about other people's freedom to ignore them.

    If you show up at someone's house and shit on their rug, they're not infringing on your freedom if they start locking the door.

    • The whole thing is stupid. Someone posts nasty stuff in response to you, you don't see it but everyone else does and since you left it there,looks like tacit approval. And you can't delete what you can't even see. Trolls are going to just love this
  • The summary says that the tool doesn't prevent the posts from being made, it just prevents the user who started the discussion from seeing them. It's no different from a user-adjustable spam filter, really.

  • This idea is ing stupid.

  • Slashdot (Score:3)

    by Errol backfiring ( 1280012 ) on Tuesday September 13, 2016 @10:02AM (#52878565) Journal
    If we do this for slashdot, I expect the flameword list to contain the following words within an hour:
    • Microsoft
    • Apple
    • Republican
    • Democrat
    • Climate change
    • Systemd
    • IoT
    • cow
    • moo

    I think it would get very quiet here...

  • Welcome, citizens, to the Age of Mass Censorship! Are you triggered constantly by rude, boorish people on the Internet who post rude, boorish things about politics, race, and religion? Does getting all stirred up and being so thoughtlessly yanked out of your comfort zone just plain ruin your endlessly happy, unnaturally positive, SSRI-induced mood? Is hearing about people all over the world and just down the street from you being oppressed, harassed, beaten, cheated, and killed just too much of a downer for

  • Kill files based on keywords and users would be a boon. It's not so much about being "offended", it's more about killing a lot of crap.

    • Kill files based on keywords and users would be a boon. It's not so much about being "offended", it's more about killing a lot of crap.

      This. I want to kill file , for starters, any mention of Trump, Clinton, anyone associated however remotely with the Kardumassians, football, and celebrity gossip.

  • I'm fine with this. The idea of freedom of speech is about allowing people say what they think, even if it is unpopular. However, there is no mandate that people have to listen to you. Creating tools to help people filter out speech they aren't interested in hearing in such a way that it only affects the listener is a great idea. If some people want live in their own little bubble /safe-space let them, it doesn't hurt anyone else. This is a much better solution than other sites (cough twitter cough) use tha
  • This doesn't look much different to business as usual to me - can't see where the outrage is coming from.

    Honestly, this looks no different to Usenet kill files, which I personally have been (lightly) using for around twenty-five years. On Reddit I've also got a fairly extensive kill file-alike set up, via RES and the Alien Blue app. Really don't see the issue in them introducing this, sounds more like a nice-to-have feature that some people will use, some people won't.

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