Online anti-bullying tool calls for second thoughts by abusive users
Instagram has introduced a feature where, for example, when a person types “You are ugly and stupid,” you are interrupted by a notice saying, “Are you sure you want to post this? Learn more.” PHOTO | FILE | NMG
What you need to know:
Dark content on social media came into focus here when Molly Russell, a pretty 14-year-old Londoner, took her own life after viewing content on Instagram which was linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide.
Her father said he believed such distressing content was partly responsible for Molly’s death.
Instagram’s chief executive, Adam Mosseri, said the new procedure was grounded in a deep understanding of how people bully each other and how they respond to bullying on Instagram.
He conceded, “We can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves, but these are only steps on a longer path.”
Electronic stalking, trolling, cyber bullying and the dissemination of dark information such as ways to commit suicide have prompted increasing concern here, particularly among parents after a teenager took her own life.
Now at least one social media platform is introducing an anti-bullying tool which it believes could curb abuse.
The information– and photo-sharing network Instagram said it was installing artificial intelligence to recognise when a text appears to be negative or inappropriate.
For example, a person types “You are ugly and stupid,” only to be interrupted by a notice saying, “Are you sure you want to post this? Learn more.”
If the user taps “Learn more,” a response says, “We are asking people to rethink comments that seem similar to others which have been reported.”
The user can ignore the message and post anyway, but Instagram told the BBC that in early tests, “we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.”
Instagram said the new procedure is being rolled out to English-speaking users first, with global availability in due course.
Dark content on social media came into focus here when Molly Russell, a pretty 14-year-old Londoner, took her own life after viewing content on Instagram which was linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide.
Her father said he believed such distressing content was partly responsible for Molly’s death.
Instagram’s chief executive, Adam Mosseri, said the new procedure was grounded in a deep understanding of how people bully each other and how they respond to bullying on Instagram. He conceded, “We can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves, but these are only steps on a longer path.”
Last April, the government published a white paper proposing tighter controls on technology firms, including the appointment of an independent regulator to direct ways in which companies should deal with all manner of abuse, including bullying.
The proposal is being widely debated, with some critics expressing fears it could be over-reaching, while others question its possible efficacy.
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If you are a bit vague about geography, take heart. You could not possibly be dimmer than the participants on Love Island, a popular dating reality show on TV.
In a clip titled “Unseen Bits,” Jourdan Riane, Belle Hassan and Joanna Chimonides sat around a table trying to figure out just which European city was in which country.
“Is Italy in Rome or is Rome in Italy?” asked Joanna. Declared Jourdan confidently, “Rome is the capital of Italy.” But when asked where Barcelona was, she rather spoiled her record by declaring, “Barcelona is in Italy.” Oh dear, said Belle, “I always thought Barcelona was Spanish.”
And please don’t mention Brexit, Britain’s planned exit from Europe. A fourth contestant, Hayley Hughes thinks that means “we’re not going to have any trees, right?”
Go figure.
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The little ones have problems and the oldies have problems, but bring them together for a singalong and everybody’s happy.
Many of the residents of Beeches Care Home in Leatherhead, Surrey, have memory impairments, including dementia, and they tend to become anxious and frightened when changes occur in their environment. But when the pupils from nearby Woodlands School for children with special needs come in with their maracas and drums, the old folk relax.
Sheila, 85, has paired up with Zach, who has severe learning difficulties. When the boy beats out a rhythm on his tambourine and everybody sings the Hello Song, the old lady, usually so nervous, laughs with delight.
Severely depressed Michael has come out of his shell and formed a friendship with a boy called Rory, who lets out shrieks of delight at the sounds he hears; Terry, 81, is special friends with Sailish and together they sing Roll Out The Barrel.
Said Michelle Daniels, manager of the home, “We try all sorts of things to keep our elderly residents entertained, but with this project, I’ve been blown away at the difference it makes.”
Sheila’s anxieties are kept at bay and Michael comes out of his shell of self-enforced isolation.
“The wonderful thing is that there are just no barriers,” said Michelle. These children don’t have a preconceived idea about what the older generation is about and the older generation doesn’t have preconceived ideas of what the children are like.”
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Corny computer jokes:
The first version dates back to Adam and Eve. It was an Apple with limited memory. One byte and it crashed.
Computer: Press any key to start. Dim user: Where is the Any key?
Computer definitions: State-of-the-art: Any computer you can’t afford. Obsolete: Any computer you own. Microsecond: The time it takes for your state-of-the-art computer to become obsolete.
