Meta recently introduced a new feature that lets users perform search for information on the platform, but the functionality is only available in a handful of regions. As it turns out, the company seems to be actively blocking some 'potentially sensitive' search terms like 'covid', 'coronavirus', 'vaccine', 'gore' and 'sex' to name a few. First spotted by The Washington Post, Meta is trying to play it safe by preventing users from seeing controversial content on the platform. In a statement to the publication, a Meta spokesperson said that the search functionality is temporarily not showing potentially sensitive content. Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who also happens to be the head of Threads, said in a post on X that they are trying to learn from their mistakes and carefully rolling out search functionality. I hear you, and we're working to support more searches quickly. We're trying to learn from last mistakes and believe it's better to bias towards being careful as we roll out search. — Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) September 11, 2023 While Meta's stance might sound overly aggressive, the company has also limited search functionality on both Instagram and Facebook in the past, especially when search terms contained explicit queries. However, blocking search terms of Threads might prevent users from seeking information or advice from experts. Since its launch in July, Twitter (now X) rival has been constantly rolling out new features like the ability to add custom alt text, a mention button, a new Reposts tab and the option to share Threads posts to Instagram DMs to name a few.
