Another roll-out targeted at improving users’ mental health is a step in the right direction – but we should be careful about overpraising desperately needed changes.
Yesterday [18 September], Instagram announced one of the biggest content changes in its history: it will begin censoring dieting and cosmetic surgery posts for under-18s. It also announced that certain content would be removed altogether if deemed dangerous to the general public. These changes are the long-awaited response to calls from body-positivity activists, who claim Instagram has become rife with sponsored posts pushing flat tummy teas, diet pills, lip fillers, and dangerous cosmetic procedures.
Emma Collins, Instagram’s public policy manager explained: “We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media… We’ve sought guidance from external experts, including Dr Ysabel Gerrard in the UK, to make sure any steps to restrict and remove this content will have a positive impact on our community of over 1 billion people around the world – whilst ensuring Instagram remains a platform for expression and discussion.”
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