‘Mute White People’ Sticker Found on Instagram
- Instagram stories allow users to post photos and videos which vanish after 24 hours. The feature was launched in 2016 and Instagram have continually added new ways users can make their stories more fun and creative, including stickers
- Users recently came across a controversial sticker; ‘a blue box with a picture of a speaker and the words “mute white people” written in bold white letters’
- Instagram did not create the sticker but there was shock that the sticker got through the approval process
- Refinery29, who created the sticker, had intended to support the Black Lives Matter movement. However the sticker has caused offence and even more issues surrounding race
TikTok to Remove Cyber Bullying Content in Australia
- The E-safety commissioner in Australia put pressure on the Chinese social media platform TikTok to remove cyber bullying material targeting children
- TikTok is facing a global backlash over security concerns, with the platform facing a potential ban in the US
- Cyberbullying is not unique to TikTok and can happen across any social media platform
- It is advisable for parents to monitor use of social media platforms for young people in their care, be aware of safety settings and understand how to use apps safely.
- Have a look at Our Online Safety Centre for safety settings and advice
ISIS Groups Still Evading Detection on Facebook
- A new report has claimed Facebook accounts linked to the Isalmic State Group (ISIS) are still finding ways to evade detection on Facebook
- The ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue), which carried out the study, tracked 288 Facebook accounts linked to a particular ISIS network over 3 months
- The report found several ways in which the network were able to avoid detection. One of these tactics included blurring ISIS branding and logos, and breaking up text with strange punctuation
- The report’s author, Moustafa Ayad, stated “Our report is about the evasive behaviours of ISIS-supporting accounts on Facebook. We have no tolerance for terrorist propaganda on our platform and remove content and accounts that violate our policy as soon as we identify them.”
Instagram and Facebook to Block LGBT ‘Conversion Therapy’ Services
- ‘Conversion therapy’ refers to any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress a person’s gender identity
- Earlier this year, Facebook and Instagram banned the promotion of conversion therapy in ads and from last Friday (10th July 2020), any content linked to it has been banned
- The platforms have stressed that they will take time to update all of their policies to reflect this blanket ban, so while some content that users flag may not immediately be removed, over time that should change
- This comes after campaigners are urging the government to act now on a promise from 2018 to make the practice illegal
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