Instagram’s New Misinformation Reporting Option to Reduce Platform Scam

Instagram is testing a fresh new option that will allow users to report misinformation on the platform, in the latest attempt by Facebook to slow the spread of false and misleading content across its platforms. The tool will be available to all users by the end of August. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, commented on the news via Twitter, stating: Misinformation is an issue I’ve personally spent a lot of time on. I’m proud that, starting today, people can let us know if they see posts on Instagram they believe may be false. There’s still more to do to stop the spread of misinformation.

How To Use Instagram’s New Reporting Tool

Instagram Misinformation report tool on instagram smartphone app — *Source: Social Media Expert Matt Navarra*

Similar to how you would normally report a post on Instagram, all you need to do is tap on the three vertical dots on the top right of a photo or video posted to Instagram, and you will see a few different options. All you have to do is select ‘False Information,’ and you are done. It’s that simple. Instagram will then look into your claim, and if it agrees that the post contains false information, the post will be eliminated from hashtag searches and Instagram Explore sections of the platform altogether. As explained by Instagram, “From the end of August, people will be able to let us know about content that people believe may be misinformation and help improve our ability to proactively catch misinformation. When we find misinformation on Instagram, we filter it from places where people discover new content – Explore and hashtag pages.”

What We Can Expect

Instagram’s brand communications manager Stephanie Otway stated, Explore and hashtags allow people on Instagram to find content they haven’t already chosen to follow, and by filtering misinformation from these places, we can significantly limit its reach. The process will expand Instagram’s options for detection, and as noted, build on parent-company Facebook’s broader capacity to limit the spread of such misinformation through its platforms. According to Facebook, feedback from the new tool will also be used to train artificial intelligence software to scan for, and rate, fake posts without waiting for them to be reported.

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