Instagram users across the world are reporting a sudden and disturbing shift in their feeds, with violent and NSFW content appearing at an alarming rate—even for those who have Sensitive Content Control enabled. The surge has led to widespread concern, with many turning to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustration and confusion.
Users raise the alarm
Social media has been flooded with complaints from Instagram users noticing an unusual influx of graphic and disturbing videos on their Reels feed. Many are questioning whether the sudden change is the result of a glitch, algorithm update, or system failure.
One user wrote: “Anyone else noticing this on Instagram? In the past few hours, my IG Reels feed has suddenly started showing violent or disturbing videos out of nowhere. Feels random. Is anyone else experiencing this? Or is it just me? Wondering if it’s a glitch or some weird algorithm change.” Another posted: “What is happening to Instagram?? All I’m seeing is sensitive and violent content every few scrolls????”
The complaints continue to pile up. “Is it just me or is Instagram Reels violent as f–k right now?? I am only getting fight videos and couples cheating on each other,” another user commented.
Others have reported seeing explicit and disturbing footage, including bodycam footage of a police shooting. “So far, I found like 12 Instagram reels of a fight (with no blood/gore visible at first glance) and a video of bodycam footage with a child predator fatally shot (censored),” one person wrote.
One frustrated user questioned why the issue wasn’t getting more attention: “Why is no one talking about Instagram feed today? I was scrolling through my football FYP and I suddenly started getting violent videos/reels on Instagram FYP. Is something wrong? It’s happening with everyone.”
What’s causing the issue?
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has yet to release an official statement addressing the widespread complaints. However, experts and industry insiders speculate that a bug in Instagram’s content moderation system could be to blame.
According to Vocal Media, Instagram’s AI-powered moderation tools scan posts for sensitive content and limit their visibility. If the system malfunctions, it could fail to filter out explicit content, exposing it to a much larger audience than intended.
Another possible explanation is a recent algorithm change that may have unintentionally boosted the visibility of violent and NSFW content. If Instagram’s latest update misprioritized certain posts, it could explain why so many users are suddenly seeing distressing content in their feeds.
Awaiting Meta’s response
As frustration grows, Instagram users are demanding an explanation from Meta and calling for an urgent fix to restore normal content moderation. Until the company responds, users are left wondering whether this is a temporary glitch—or a sign of deeper problems within Instagram’s algorithm and content control systems.
