What you need to know: 

• EPL stars Son Heung-Min and Marcus Rashford, among many others, have been racially targeted and abused on social media.
• Facebook is introducing enhanced measures to allow users to filter messages on Instagram.
• Users will be able to filter direct message requests based on a pre-defined list of abusive words, phrases and emojis.
• They can also block abusive profiles and block any other or future accounts set up by that abuser.

Facebook has announced two new features for Instagram it says will protect public figures from online abuse. 

Prominent sports stars, notably AFL star Eddie Betts and English Premier League stars Son Heung-Min and Marcus Rashford, have highlighted the impact of racial and verbal abuse they've received on social media platforms. 

On Instagram, prominent people will be able to filter out abusive messages as the platform introduces new controls for Direct Messages (DM).

With the new Hidden Words privacy setting, users will be able choose whether they want to automatically filter out messages containing offensive words, phrases and emojis.

The list of offensive terms will be developed with anti-bullying and anti-discrimination organisations, and users will be able to create their own lists of words, phrases and emojis they don't want to see. 

The change applies to DM requests - not messages received from friends. 

Likewise, Facebook will strengthen users' ability to block unwanted contacts. 

Currently, a user can be blocked, then go and set up a new account and send another message. Under the new feature, a prominent sports star will have the option to block an abusive account and simultaneously block any new accounts that person may create. 

Facebook says this new feature is on top of its harassment policies, which prohibit people from repeatedly contacting someone who doesn't want to hear from them. 

"There's more work to be done"

“Nobody should have to experience abusive content on Instagram," said Will Easton, Managing Director of Facebook Australia.

"These new features are a positive step towards combating bullying and online abuse. We are grateful for the valuable input from sports leagues, anti-discrimination organisations, and public figures in developing these tools. People’s safety and wellbeing are our top priorities, and we’ll continue to evolve our policies and develop technology to protect our community.”

Tanya Hosch, AFL Australia's Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy, welcomed the changes. 

“We have been working with Facebook Australia over the past year on the importance of protecting our players from abuse and harassment on Facebook and Instagram," she said.

"We feel like they’ve listened and taken a valuable step in the right direction. These new tools will make a significant difference in protecting our players ... There is more work to be done, and we will continue to support Facebook and Instagram in developing more safeguards for the Australian community.”

The new features: a summary

Direct Message Controls aka Hidden Words

• Setting that, if turned on, will automatically filter DM requests containing offensive words, phrases and emojis.
• The feature, and pre-defined list of offensive terms, developed with sports anti-discrimination and anti-bullying organisations.
• Users can create a custom list of words.
• Users can find the folder containing filtered messages, and can tap to uncover and read them.

Blocking multiple accounts

• Users can block a user, and choose whether to block any account that user creates in the future.
• Designed to protect from unwanted contact, even if the abusive user has multiple accounts or creates new ones .