Meta apologized on Thursday for a mistake that caused some users’ Instagram Reels feeds to be filled with violent and graphic videos. The company confirmed that the issue has been resolved, according to a report by Reuters. While Meta, which also owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads, didn’t specify how many users were affected, it has not revealed the cause of the error either.
The apology followed complaints from several social media users who reported seeing violent and inappropriate content in their Instagram Reels feeds. Many of those affected claimed that they were still encountering such content even after enabling the ‘sensitive content control’ setting, which is designed to filter out inappropriate material.
“We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their Instagram Reels feed that should not have been recommended. We apologize for the mistake,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters. Meta’s moderation policies have faced criticism after the company decided last month to end its U.S. fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—three of the world’s largest social media platforms with over 3 billion users globally.
Under Meta’s policy, violent and graphic videos are generally prohibited, and the company removes such content to safeguard users. However, exceptions are made for videos that aim to raise awareness about issues such as human rights abuses and conflicts.
In recent years, Meta has increasingly relied on automated moderation tools, a trend that is expected to grow with the decision to end fact-checking in the United States. The company has faced criticism for struggling to strike the right balance between content recommendations and user safety. This has been evident in incidents such as the spread of violent content during the Myanmar genocide, Instagram promoting eating disorder content to teens, and the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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