In an effort to address the growing concerns of cyberbullying and ensure a safer environment for teens, Instagram has rolled out its School Partnership Program in the U.S.
This new initiative aims to directly involve schools in the fight against bullying by giving them a more direct line to report safety concerns, including potential instances of cyberbullying, and ensuring these reports are handled promptly. Instagram is working with educators and school leaders to create a more secure online space for students, offering valuable resources for teachers, parents, and guardians.
How Does the School Partnership Program Work?
The new program is available to middle and high schools across the United States.
Schools that sign up to participate will be able to submit reports about potentially harmful content, including bullying, directly to Instagram. These reports will be prioritized, ensuring that Instagram's moderation team takes quick action. Schools that are part of the program will also receive a "school partner" banner on their profile, helping to identify them as official Instagram partners.
Instagram.com
Instagram will also provide a set of educational resources designed to help schools, parents, and guardians navigate the platform safely. These resources aim to educate students and families on how to avoid bullying and other online safety issues.
Instagram.com
Instagram’s new program has already shown promising results from its initial pilot, which involved 60 schools.
According to Sameer Hinduja, PhD, Co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center,
These early results underscore the program's potential in providing schools with the tools they need to respond to and resolve bullying incidents swiftly. By prioritizing school reports and allowing for quick action, Instagram is helping to ease the burden on educators who often lack the resources to handle such issues effectively.
Providing Schools, Parents, and Educators With the Tools They Need
Instagram’s approach to making online safety a priority in schools includes offering support to both educators and parents. Through the program, Instagram provides schools with immediate access to resources that can assist them in addressing bullying. Additionally, the program offers real-time updates on the status of the reports submitted by schools, ensuring transparency and accountability.
says D.J. Ashford, Studio Art and Media Teacher at Muwekma Ohlone Middle School.
This proactive approach is helping to reduce the stress that many students face when dealing with online bullying. Instagram’s quick action ensures that harmful content is dealt with in a timely manner, making the platform a safer place for all users.
This initiative is part of Instagram’s broader efforts to combat online toxicity and create a healthier environment for users. Alongside the School Partnership Program, Instagram recently introduced a dislike button for comments, giving users more control over the content they interact with.
This new feature empowers users to express disapproval of toxic comments without engaging in harmful interactions. Instagram’s quick response to bullying reports, combined with these new tools, demonstrates the platform's ongoing commitment to tackling online negativity.
Instagram’s efforts extend beyond just providing schools with resources. The platform is also focused on giving parents greater control over their children’s online experiences. With Teen Accounts, Instagram has already introduced a range of protections, including automatic privacy settings and restrictions on messaging, to ensure that young users are safe from unwanted contact.
These accounts are designed with parents in mind, allowing them to have peace of mind while their children engage with the platform.
In addition to Teen Accounts, Instagram has continued to collaborate with parents and guardians to ensure that they have the tools they need to keep their children safe. The platform offers educational resources on how to navigate Instagram safely, empowering families to stay engaged with their teens’ online life.
How Schools Can Get Involved
After a successful pilot, Instagram is opening up the School Partnership Program to more middle and high schools across the United States. Schools interested in joining can sign up via Instagram’s settings, and they will be added to a waitlist.
Once off the waitlist, schools will have access to all the resources and tools the program offers, allowing them to begin submitting reports and addressing teen safety issues immediately.
Schools interested in becoming a partner can read how to do so by clicking here. In addition, educators can visit this page to learn more about the program.
Instagram’s Ongoing Commitment to Safety
Instagram’s commitment to safety goes beyond the School Partnership Program. The platform continues to introduce features designed to protect young users, such as private profiles by default for teens and new content moderation tools. This focus on supporting parents, schools, and students demonstrates the platform's ongoing effort to create a safe and positive space for all users.
As the platform expands its safety initiatives, it remains dedicated to helping teens navigate social media responsibly while keeping their well-being a top priority.
