Instagram's Threads App Faces Backlash Over Temporary COVID Term Block

Meta Platforms Inc META Instagram is in the spotlight after the company's Threads app temporarily blocked users from searching health-related terms, including those associated with COVID-19. 

This move is part of Threads' early efforts to foster a "positive, friendly" culture, steering explicit content that could potentially harm or misinform its user base.

Also Read: Meta Eyes AI Chatbots For Boosting Business As Advertisers Look to Benefit From Enhanced Engagement Tools

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, clarified that the block is temporary. The company is currently focusing on managing content related to the situation in Gaza. 

Mosseri expressed that the team is addressing multiple content concerns while also working on enhancing Threads' integration with Instagram and Facebook.

Threads today blocks several terms, including blocks on search terms like "gore," "nude," "sex," and "porn," and news around the COVID pandemic like "vaccines," "vaccination," "coronavirus," "covid" and "long covid."

The app, a competitor to the likes of Twitter, isn't aiming to be "anti-news." 

Users can still follow news accounts to stay informed. However, the decision to block specific search terms, especially those related to the ongoing pandemic, has raised eyebrows. 

Critics argue that this limits access to vital information and stifles conversation on pressing issues, TechCrunch reports.

The company looks to lift the block on health-related terms in the coming weeks or months. 

Price Action: META shares traded lower by 0.63% at $321.95 premarket on the last check Wednesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.