Instagram users alarmed as feeds flooded with violent and disturbing content

New Delhi: Instagram users worldwide woke up to a startling surprise this week as their feeds, particularly the popular Reels section, became inundated with violent and disturbing content. 

From graphic fight videos to gory scenes and explicit material, many reported seeing a barrage of unsettling posts despite having no prior engagement with such content. 

The sudden surge has sparked widespread alarm, with users taking to social media platforms like X to voice their shock and demand answers from Meta, Instagram’s parent company.

The issue appears to have escalated over the past 48 hours, with reports flooding in from users across the globe. “I was scrolling through Reels, and out of nowhere, I’m seeing fights and gore—it’s like the algorithm’s gone rogue,” one user posted on X. Another expressed dismay, saying, “Even with Sensitive Content Control turned on, I’m still getting hit with this stuff. What’s happening to Instagram?” Parents and safety advocates have also raised concerns, urging others to keep children off the app until the situation is resolved.

Speculation about the cause is rife. Some point to a potential glitch in Instagram’s content moderation system, which relies on a combination of artificial intelligence and human oversight to filter out inappropriate material. If the AI has malfunctioned, it could explain why violent and NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content is slipping through the cracks. Others suggest an unintended tweak to the algorithm might be amplifying this material, mistakenly prioritising it over more typical fare like dance videos or pet clips. A few users have even floated the idea of a content moderation team strike, though no evidence supports this claim.

Meta has remained tight-lipped so far, offering no official statement as of Thursday morning, February 27, 2025. This silence has only fueled frustration, with some users tagging Meta and Instagram executives directly in their posts. “Fix this now—my feed is a nightmare,” one wrote. 

Tips circulating online include avoiding Reels altogether, checking for app updates that might patch the issue, or switching to the browser version of Instagram, which some say is less affected. Others recommend reviewing followed accounts to prune any that might inadvertently influence the algorithm.