Instagram has officially announced it is in the testing phase of a new feature that reads “Dislike” for the comment section in order to facilitate an enhanced user engagement feedback. This is a feature that is still under development but aims to allow the user to transmute negative interaction into activation. The decision has been long overdue as users have been demanding improved solutions through which they can moderate their comments sections and deal with toxicity.

Highlights:

• Instagram is testing a "Dislike" button for comments.
• The feature aims to reduce negativity and improve feedback.
• It allows users to express disapproval without direct confrontation.
• The test is currently limited to select users globally.
• Instagram emphasizes this is not a "downvote" system but a moderation tool.

“Dislike” is a move in the Instagram strategy that aims to strengthen the guidelines of the community and make it more healthy. This way, the platform wants to fight against cyberbullying and spam, allowing users to mark certain comments for moderators without other people knowing about it. At the same time, Instagram emphasizes that the button will not control the frequency of comments, making it different from the downvote system present on other platforms.

This feature has attracted a divergent opinion from the various users of the social networks. While some critics ha[i]l see it as a progressive effort towards improved moderation, others fear that it may be used as a means of censorship of the dissidents. Instagram has said that the feature will not be aimed at punishing people for the posts they have made but rather to help people come up with positive changes that will help change such behaviors. Currently, it is working in the test phase to collect all needed data and make changes in the process of tests before the global launch of the application.

If the “Dislike” button is to be implemented widely, this would shift the interaction of users with content in Instagram massively. It might lead to the points being better thought over and eliminate cases where abusive or irrelevant comments appear. As the feature remains to advance, this one could be the most significant step towards balancing freedom of speech and safety to the community.