Instagram is taking a stronger stance against against cyberbullying

Instagram is taking a stronger stance against against cyberbullyingInstagram is taking a stronger stance against against cyberbullyingSocial media has come under fire recently, due to the publication of several studies suggesting their part in contributing tohigher depression and suicide rates amongst teens and young adults. Fifty-nine percent of teens reported being the recipient of at least one of six types of abusive online behaviors including cyberbullying according to a recent Pew Research Center study and 16% reported being the subject of a physical threat of some kind after a fraught social media exchange.A recent report published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychologyintimates that a collective mental decline in teens coincideswith the popularity of smartphone use that began about seven years ago.mora U.S. adolescents and young adults in the late 2010s, versus the mid-2000s, experienced serious psychological distress, major depression or suicidal thoughts, and more attempted suicide, says the studys lead author, Jean Twenge, PhD Twenge is also the author of the book iGen and a professor of psychology at San Diego State University.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn an effort to diminish the kind of toxic elements that causes many users to feel insecure about their bodies and financial standing, Instagram has taken a determined effort to correct some of the inherently harmful aspects of its digital personality.Sometimes bad things happen on Instagram. We know that, said Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram said at Facebooks F8 developer conference. We want to lead the fight against cyberbullying.The first step? Making the number of likes unavailable publicly. Likes can still be viewed privately, placing a greater emphasis on personal connections as opposed to the competitive aspect that has come to define the app in recent years. Adding to this, is this the nudge feature. If youre typing out a comment that is deemed to be potentially aggressive, you will receive a nudge, asking you to reconsider your content. Mosseri hopes this will give users an extra incentive to stop and think about what theyre typing before they commit to it.Of course, those who have the intention to be mean will notlage likely submit to an algorithms plea, so users might want to additionallyconsider the away mode, which frees you from notificationsentirely.Some critics have correctly pointed outthat at the end of the day, large amounts of money are at play, meaning apps like Instagram and Facebook, can only strip so much away without risking losing many of the features that make them so popular in the first place. Unfortunately, a lot of the toxic characteristics of social media is what is staffing its success.Although the reaction to thesepreemptive measures has been mixed, a step toward regulating internet hate is certainly commendable.Better and faster handling of abuse reporting, watching and disciplining of offending users, gaining user trust so they will report cyberbullying and not fear reprisals or being ignored by Instagram is what will turn things around, the StopCyberbullying Global director, told WSB-TV.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from jngste im bunde Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people