Instagram shuts down IS-linked propaganda outlet

The BBC has reported that a propaganda arm of the so-called Islamic State group (IS) has attempted to set up an account on Instagram, but was quickly shut down by the social media platform. The outlet, called Nashir News Agency, promoted the new Instagram account via its established channels on the Telegram messaging app on 11 May. It claimed it set up the account as an experiment in spreading information about IS. According to the report, Nashir, which largely distributes official IS propaganda, has diversified its content to include calls on IS supporters to make more effort on popular social media platforms, particularly Twitter and Facebook, to spread information about the group. In an interview with the BBC, a spokeswoman for the social network said: "Instagram has zero tolerance for terrorists, terrorist propaganda, or the praising of terror activity, and we work aggressively to remove it as soon as we become aware of it."