Instagram to make it easier to avoid trolls

SAN FRANCISCO: Instagram will enhance features that help users block the accounts of abusers and trolls on the social media platform, the Meta Platforms-owned (META.O) company said on Thursday.

Users will now be able to block all existing accounts of a person, expanding a feature launched last year that only allowed the blocking of any new accounts that they may create.

"Based on initial test results from this new change, we expect our community will need to block 4 million fewer accounts every week, since these accounts will now be blocked automatically," Instagram said in a blog post.

The photo-sharing app has been doubling down on tackling hate speech and online abuse on its platform, which is more popular among teens and young adults than Meta's Facebook.

Instagram has also upgraded its feature that helps prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages, by filtering offensive words to story replies, and said on Thursday it is expanding "nudges" designed to protect creators from harassment.