The application is preventing searches for keywords like vaccines and COVID
Threads’ newly added keyword search feature has limitations. Currently, the app restricts searches for various “potentially sensitive” words, including “vaccines,” “COVID,” and related terms linked to misinformation on Meta’s platform in the past.
The company acknowledged the search block in a statement to The Post, characterizing it as a temporary precaution. A spokesperson stated, “The search functionality is temporarily not yielding results for keywords that could display potentially sensitive content.” Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head and overseer of Threads, tweeted that the company is “striving to learn from past mistakes and believes it’s wiser to err on the side of caution as we introduce the search feature.”
Meta has valid grounds for its cautious approach to Threads search, as evidenced by the company’s history. Instagram’s search function has faced substantial criticism for its role in spreading misinformation and steering users toward conspiracy theories. During the initial stages of the pandemic, the app’s search feature was notably exploited, as it elevated conspiracy-promoting anti-vax accounts to the top results for basic searches like “vaccine” and “5g.
Simultaneously, it’s noteworthy that Meta has chosen to block all searches featuring “potentially sensitive” keywords, including posts that do not contain content violating rules. This represents a significantly more assertive stance compared to the approach the social media company has previously adopted.
Meta has previously restricted search capabilities on Facebook and Instagram, usually stepping in when search terms were directly associated with content violating rules, such as specific hashtags related to QAnon. On other occasions, the company has taken steps to refine search results for subjects like vaccines and has directed users to official resources through in-app Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
As highlighted by The Washington Post, the consequence of completely blocking COVID-related search terms is that users are prevented from seeking information, resources, and discussions that do not violate the platform’s rules. This could pose an obstacle for those in search of guidance or reliable information from experts.
Meta’s cautious approach also highlights the rapid development of Threads. The app was launched just five months after a small team of Instagram engineers began working on it. This fast development pace resulted in Threads being introduced without some fundamental features that were absent from the service. Although Meta has stated that Threads follows the same safety policies as Instagram, it has not provided extensive information about its content moderation plans for the Twitter-like app, where posts have a distinct look and feel.
