Instagram began deploying a new feature to notify users of potential use of offensive language in their photo and video captions, with the aim of enhancing its efforts to combat online bullying on the platform.

A representative told Mobile World Live the feature is “currently available in English speaking countries, but we’ll begin expanding globally in the coming months”.

The Facebook-owned company’s technique uses AI to detect potentially harmful words in captions. The technology will inform users if their wording could be offensive and will let them edit the content before publishing.

Instagram claimed the warning would help educate people about its policies and the type of behaviour which would be considered to breach them.

The step by the photo sharing app builds on its previous move to flag potentially harmful comments before users post them.

Instagram stated results from the feature “have been promising and we’ve found that these types of nudges can encourage people to reconsider their words when given a chance”.