Meta Platforms issued an apology on Wednesday night for an error that caused Instagram users worldwide to encounter a surge of violent and graphic content in their Reels feeds.
The disturbing videos, including explicit violence and other sensitive material, were shown despite users enabling the ‘Sensitive Content Control’ feature.
Meta has clarified that the issue was due to an error rather than a change in their content moderation policies.
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“We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their Instagram Reels feed that should not have been recommended,” an Instagram spokesman said late Wednesday. “We apologize for the mistake.”
This incident has raised concerns about Instagram’s content recommendation algorithms and Meta’s recent shift away from automated content checks to community-based reporting models.
The company assured that the problem has been resolved and reaffirmed its commitment to removing particularly graphic content, except when it serves to raise awareness about critical issues like human rights.
The error coincides with Meta’s broader policy changes and reduction in fact-checking partnerships in the U.S.
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