Instagram is Facebook’s most popular social media platform, today and it certainly has to make sure that its content is not violating the terms and policies put in place by the company. As you already know, users can select what people they follow and this hugely impacts what content they follow online. However, this logic does not apply to the platform’s Explore tab as it shows everything, some posts are relevant based on the accounts you follow while the rest is just randomness.
Explore tab on Instagram recommends posts, stories, and reels from accounts that you don’t necessarily follow. You might like what your see or you might not like what Instagram is suggesting to you. The point is that the content is random on the platform and users have no control over what they see in their Explore tabs. Users have reported seeing pictures and videos of naked people on their Explore tab, while some of them have reported about seeing visually explicit content, all of this without following such accounts. It is totally believable when I say that some posts can potentially be distressing to users even when they do not break the platform’s rules and policies.
Luckily, Instagram identified this as a problem based on the number of reports and complaints and has finally decided to let users have control over what content they are recommended on their Explore tab. In other words, Instagram is rolling out a Sensitive Content Control feature that will let users have control over how they use the application. As mentioned in a report by Engadget, in order to change these settings, simply go to the Settings tab on Instagram and select Account and Sensitive Content Control.
In there, you will see three options, “Allow”, “Limit (Default)” and “Limit Even More”. Once you toggle these settings on and wish to reduce the number of sensitive posts, even more, you can always select “Limit Even More” to make sure that no such content appears on your Instagram Explore page.
The main question to focus on here is what content is considered sensitive by Instagram?
Well, anything that depicts violence or nudity or is sexually explicit is considered “Sensitive” by Instagram. If your sensitive content filter is on, you will not see any recommended post that falls under any of the above-mentioned categories. Remember, Instagram does not allow content that is sexually suggestive, it does not promote nudity as well. Other than this, toggling the sensitive Content Control feature on the platform will also include adult products, tobacco-related and pharmaceutical-related drugs content as “sensitive” content.
Thus, Instagram is allowing users to have control over what recommendations they see on their Instagram Explore tab.
