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Tag: online bullying

  • Instagram Deploying AI to Help Combat Online Bullying

    Instagram Deploying AI to Help Combat Online Bullying

    Many a parent has taught their children to pause and count to 10 before replying, especially when provoked. Unfortunately, in the digital age, such restraint has become a rare thing. It seems that Instagram, however, is working on bringing it back.

    According to a blog post, the company has launched an AI-based tool to help identify captions on photos and videos that could be considered offensive or bullying, and give people “a chance to pause and reconsider their words before posting.” This builds on a similar AI-based feature rolled out in July that notified individuals when their comments might be considered offensive, giving them a chance to change them.

    By rolling this feature out to include photo and video captions, Instagram hopes it will further help combat bullying, as well as inform people of what is and is not acceptable.

    “Today, when someone writes a caption for a feed post and our AI detects the caption as potentially offensive, they will receive a prompt informing them that their caption is similar to those reported for bullying. They will have the opportunity to edit their caption before it’s posted.

    “In addition to limiting the reach of bullying, this warning helps educate people on what we don’t allow on Instagram, and when an account may be at risk of breaking our rules. To start, this feature will be rolling out in select countries, and we’ll begin expanding globally in the coming months.”

    As social media companies are increasingly under scrutiny for how they handle bullying and hate speech—with some accusing them of censorship and others accusing them of not doing enough—Instagram seems to be finding a nice balance.

  • 530 Fatties Facebook Page Intentionally Hurtful

    Everyone knows that the Internet can be used for cruel and hateful things. While many people use the Internet to find information, shop or stay connected with friends and family members, there are also those who prefer to use it in negative ways instead.

    A Facebook page called 530 Fatties was recently created by an unknown Facebook user. The page included photos of people living in the 530 area code who are overweight or obese.

    Jessi Lynn Howell, one of the victims of the Facebook page recently spoke out about the embarrassment and hurt it has caused her.

    “It’s really hurtful and it’s really embarrassing,” she said.

    “I know it’s probably someone from around here and whoever it is they need to stop because that’s ridiculous,” she added.

    Howell believes that the page owner got the photos of her from her own Facebook page. Most of the other photos on the page were likely obtained the same way.

    Howell has recently lost over 50 pounds and said that the photos on the website are outdated. The 18-year-old girl claims that the reason she was so heavy is because she was suffering from a medical condition.

    She also said that she likes the way she looks now and feels healthier and happier.

    “I feel so much better like the way I get dressed, the way my clothes fit,” she said.

    Whoever made the 530 Fatties page was clearly out to hurt others. Howell and several other victims of the page refuse to let it make them feel bad about themselves.

    The page has since been removed from Facebook and an investigation is underway to determine who was behind it.

    Why do you think someone would make such a hurtful and mean page?

    Image via News Inc

  • Facebook Ramps Up Its Anti-Bullying Initiative

    In honor of Bullying Prevention Month, Facebook it taking a few steps to insert itself deeper into the cause, including the launch of a new bullying resource page and the backing of a national ad campaign for bullying prevention.

    “For years we have worked to create policies, programs and tools to foster, accountability and trust in our community. These tools include a “real name culture” that ties peoples’ actions to their identities; easy-to-use reporting on virtually every piece of content; and an experience for minors with visibility and sharing settings that are generally more restrictive than settings for adults,” says Facebook.

    They say that the launch of the new “Prevent Bullying” page within the Safety Center is an extension of that commitment. The page includes just shy of a dozen links to various organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence, GLAAD, and The Bully Project. The page also features a couple of videos – one that was featured as a Facebook Story this month involving a bullied high-school soccer player and a new one that talks about reporting abusive content. You can check it out below:

    As you can see from the video, Facebook says they are seeing success with the “social resolution” product.

    “As a result of the latest research, we’ve rolled out new experiences for 13 and 14 year olds. The data is showing exciting initial results: we are seeing a 4X increase in people finding a resolution in the flow and 81% say they had a positive experience when engaging with the self resolution tools on Facebook,” says Facebook.

    The page also links to the Support Dashboard, which is Facebook’s way of letting users track the progress of every report they make – content that violates Facebook policy, harassing posts, etc. Facebook opened it up to all users earlier this month.

    Facebook is also using it’s Stop Bullying: Speak Up project to help spread a new anti-bullying ad campaign from the Ad Council.

    “Today, we are also standing with the Ad Council as it launches its bullying prevention advertising campaign on TV, in print and online. We are deeply integrating the Ad Council content into our Stop Bullying Speak Up program, now in its second year with more than a million “likes” and more than 140,000 young people and adults who have taken the pledge to be more than a bystander,” they say.

    Recent stories are proof that bullying is a problem, both online and offline. Any tools that Facebook, the largest social network in the world, can implement to help combat it are worth it.