On Friday, Instagram head Adam Mosseri addressed the moderation issues that have been plaguing the social platforms over the past several days. The problems included users losing access to their accounts, posts disappearing, and other issues.
In a post on Threads, Mosseri explained that the company had found mistakes in its content review process, which were attributed to human moderators. At first, many believed that faulty AI systems were responsible for the issues.
Human Moderators at Fault
Mosseri stated that the mistakes made by human moderators were due to a lack of context provided during the review process. The company had built tools to help reviewers make informed decisions, but one of these tools broke, resulting in insufficient context being shown to the moderators.
This explanation has not fully addressed the range of issues users have faced. Some users found their accounts erroneously labeled as belonging to someone under 13 and subsequently disabled. It is unclear how a human moderator could have made such an assumption without further investigation.
Other Issues Still Under Investigation
Instagram told TechCrunch that not all of the problems users encountered were related to human moderators. The company also pointed out the tool breakage and stated that issues around flagging users as underage are still being investigated.
It is possible that there may be several factors contributing to these moderation issues, and Instagram has acknowledged that it may not be able to provide a detailed explanation for all of them.
Additional Problems Reported by Users
In addition to accounts being disabled, some users reported seeing their posts downranked or marked as spam. Even reputable individuals with large followings were affected.
Former Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg mentioned that his engagement on Threads had rapidly plummeted from 100-1,000 likes per post to just 0-20 within a 24-hour period.
Social media strategist Matt Navarra noted that users were reporting not only moderation problems but also significant declines in follower growth rate and engagement.
BlueSky Seizes Opportunity
The disruption on Instagram provided an opportunity for BlueSky, a social networking startup competing with X (formerly Twitter) and Threads. The company created an account on Threads to share its features and updates, driving frustrated users towards their platform.
Mosseri’s Response
In response to the moderation issues, Mosseri expressed his commitment to providing a safer experience for users. He acknowledged that Instagram needs to do better and encouraged users to provide feedback.
However, his statement that "we’re trying to provide a safer experience" has raised questions about the company’s ability to fully resolve these problems.
Conclusion
The moderation issues on Instagram and Threads have caused significant disruptions for users. While Mosseri has acknowledged human moderator mistakes as a contributing factor, it remains unclear how other issues will be addressed.
As users continue to report problems, Instagram must work diligently to restore trust in its platforms and provide a safe and reliable experience for all users.
Update: October 11, 2024, at 1:20 p.m. ET
Instagram has provided further comment on the moderation issues. The company emphasized that not all of the problems encountered by users were related to human moderators and their mistakes.
