Instagram Teams Up with Schools to Combat Online Bullying and Enhance Student Safety
Instagram has recently unveiled a groundbreaking school partnership program designed to streamline the moderation of reports from verified school accounts. This initiative aims to enhance the safety of students on the platform by allowing educators to address potential issues more effectively.
Overview of Instagram’s School Partnership Program
The new program is accessible to all middle and high schools across the United States. It empowers schools to directly report posts or student accounts that may breach Instagram’s community guidelines. Here’s how it works:
- Schools can submit reports on concerning content.
- These reports are prioritized for rapid review by Instagram.
- Participating schools receive notifications regarding the actions taken on their reports.
Objectives of the Program
Instagram’s primary goal with this initiative is to assist educators in addressing potential teen safety issues, such as bullying. The program aims to foster a safer online environment for students by providing immediate avenues for reporting inappropriate behavior.
Features for Participating Schools
Schools that join the partnership will showcase a “school partner” banner on their profiles, signaling their commitment to student safety. In addition, Instagram will provide educational resources including:
- Guidelines for safe app usage for educators and parents.
- Support materials designed for students.
Collaboration and Testing
Over the past year, Instagram has tested this program with 60 schools. The initiative was developed in collaboration with organizations such as the International Society for Technology in Education and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ISTE+ASCD). Other middle and high schools interested in the program can sign up for the waitlist.
Legislative Context
This launch coincides with advancements in legislative efforts like the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which proposes to restrict social media access for children under 13. The Senate Committee on Commerce endorsed this bill in February, alongside two related bills aimed at improving online safety: the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Instagram’s Ongoing Commitment to Safety
In addition to the school partnership program, Instagram has implemented various safety measures. For example, it introduced teen accounts for users under 16, which are set to private by default and come with messaging restrictions. These enhancements reflect Instagram’s ongoing commitment to fostering a secure online environment for young users.
For more information on Instagram’s safety features, you can visit their official help center.
