Topics · Feature
Hidden Words
Contents
Hidden Words is an Instagram control that filters unwanted comments, message requests and recommended content12. It uses predefined offensive terms and custom lists of words, phrases or emojis, and people can turn comment and message-request filtering on or off in settings13. For creators, a viewer’s chosen words can keep a photo or video with those words in its caption out of that viewer’s recommendations in Feed, Explore and other recommendation areas2. In November 2024, Meta’s Newsroom highlighted Hidden Words alongside the separate “Not interested” option in a post’s three-dot menu as ways to shape recommendations4.
How it has changed
- 2016
September
Instagram introduced a keyword moderation tool for hiding comments containing unwanted terms5.
- 2021
April
Instagram announced Hidden Words controls extending filtering to offensive message requests1.
- 2022
August
Meta’s Newsroom announced an upcoming test of filtering suggested posts using unwanted terms in captions or hashtags8.
October
Meta’s Newsroom announced a test of automatically enabling Hidden Words for Creator accounts3.
- 2023
January
Mosseri announced that Hidden Words was extending to recommendations2.
Word lists and filtered interactions
Hidden Words filters incoming interactions using predefined offensive terms and a personal list of words, phrases or emojis the recipient does not want to see17. Instagram developed the predefined list for message requests with anti-discrimination and anti-bullying organizations1. Message requests containing terms from either list go into a separate hidden requests folder1. Instagram’s September 2024 Teen Accounts announcement specifies that offensive words and phrases are filtered from teens’ comments and direct-message requests9.
Creator controls, reported results and recommendations
Hidden Words gives creators the option to turn filtering settings on or off at any time3. Mosseri strongly recommended the tool in June 2021 while discussing ways to give creators more control over harassment10. Meta’s Newsroom reported in October 2022 that more than one in five people with over 10,000 followers had turned it on3. Among people above that follower threshold who enabled Hidden Words for comments, Meta reported an average of 40% fewer comments that might be offensive3.
According to Mosseri, Hidden Words also applies to recommendations in Feed, Explore and other places where Instagram recommends content2. In November 2024, Meta’s Newsroom described it as a way to shape recommendations alongside “Not interested,” a separate option available through a post’s three-dot menu4.
What you can do
- To find the comment and message-request filtering controls, open the Hidden Words section of your Privacy Settings1.
See also
References
- 1Introducing new tools to protect our community from abuse
- 2New Control Features
- 3Updates to How We Protect People on Instagram From Abuse
- 4Reshape Your Instagram With a Recommendations Reset
- 5Keeping Instagram Comments Safe
- 6Protecting Our Community from Abuse on Instagram
- 7Today, we’re announcing new tools to help protect our community from abuse.
- 8Testing More Ways to Control What You See on Instagram
- 9Introducing Instagram Teen Accounts: Built-In Protections for Teens, Peace of Mind for Parents
- 10Another great Creator Week conversation, this time with the amazing @karenxcheng.