The CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has stated that the photo-sharing app needs to better support the black community, and in order to do so, the company is looking into how its "policies, tools, and processes impact black people".
"We stand in solidarity with the Black community. But that’s not enough. Words are not enough. That’s why we’re committed to looking at the ways our policies, tools, and processes impact Black people and other underrepresented groups on Instagram," Mosseri wrote in a thread on Twitter, which was linked to a blog post outlining the proposed changes.
"Addressing the feedback we get has always been an integral part of how we work, and has helped us build a better Instagram for everyone. We’re going to focus on four areas: Harassment, Account verification, Content distribution, Algorithmic bias," he continued.
"It’s not enough to simply celebrate or amplify Black voices on Instagram. We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to protect them as well, and doing so requires we address the specific ways they’re impacted."
"Our focus will start with Black community, but we’re also going to look at how we can better serve other underrepresented groups. Instagram should be a place where everyone feels safe, supported, and free to express themselves, and I’m hoping this will get us closer to that."
Instagram will also be looking into the ways that its algorithm filters content; in regards to "shadowbanning", as well as implicit structural biases within its systems.
The company describes shadowbanning as "filtering people without transparency, and limiting their reach as a result".
This comes after a slew of anti-racism protests swept the United States and other major cities across the globe, following the death of George Floyd.
Floyd, a black man, was arrested by Minneapolis police on Monday, May 25, for reportedly using a counterfeit $20 note in a store. While being detained, ex-cop Derek Chauvin - a 19-year veteran of the force - knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.
Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter, while the three other arresting officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
