On December 4, Instagram introduced a new policy in order to protect wildlife on their platform. After World Animal Protection (WAP) garnered over 255k supporters and influencers to sign the Wildlife Selfie Code through their “Widen the Lens” campaign, Instagram added a feature that warns users against animal abuse and harming endangered animals in the pursuit of posting.
Now, when a person searches for a hashtag related to harmful behavior to animals or the environment, they will now see a content advisory message emphasizing that Instagram is no place for pictures of endangered animals being abused or sold illegally. This message may also appear when searching for selfies with certain animals to dissuade such behavior.
Historically, animals have been taken from their natural habitats and put in danger to allow tourists the opportunity for a selfie. Not only will this message prevent users from taking extreme and dangerous measures when capturing a photo, but it will also raise awareness among others.
Read more about this story in our Agency Update.
Originally posted December 10, 2017