Instagram's New "Downvote" Button: A Step Towards Friendlier Comments or a Slippery Slope?

Instagram is testing a "downvote" button for comments. Will it improve comment quality or lead to censorship?
Matilda
Instagram's New "Downvote" Button: A Step Towards Friendlier Comments or a Slippery Slope?
Instagram is no stranger to the challenges of fostering a positive online environment. The platform has long grappled with issues like cyberbullying, harassment, and the spread of misinformation within its comment sections. While features like comment filtering and reporting have been implemented, the struggle to maintain a respectful and constructive space for dialogue continues. Now, Instagram is experimenting with a new tool: a "downvote" button. Announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri on Threads, this new feature allows users to privately signal their disapproval of a comment. Unlike the traditional "dislike" button seen on other platforms, this downvote remains invisible to both the commenter and other users. There's no public tally of dislikes, and the commenter isn't directly notified. Instead, Instagram plans to use this aggregated, anonymous feedback to potentially influence the ranking of comments, pushing those deemed less desirable further …