Instagram, the social media platform with over two billion active monthly users, is facing a serious issue. Numerous users around the world have reported an alarming surge in disturbing and violent content appearing in their Reels feed, triggering widespread concern and negative reactions.

Reels, the short video format that has become a central part of the Instagram experience, records over 17.6 million hours of viewing daily. Users spend nearly half of their time on the platform specifically watching Reels, amplifying the severity of the problem.

According to reports, Instagram’s algorithm has begun displaying videos featuring explicit violence, disturbing scenes such as shootings, knife attacks, and even sexually explicit content. Many users claim they first encountered this issue on Tuesday night, though some reports suggest the problem began a few days earlier.

While rumors circulated that Instagram planned to launch Reels as a standalone app, it seems unlikely that this is related to the current issue. Some users have speculated that the content moderation team might be on strike, but these claims remain unverified.

The most likely cause of the sudden spike in violent content is a technical glitch in Instagram's content moderation systems or algorithms that control content visibility. While the platform has yet to provide an official statement, many are awaiting clarification on the issue.

ai-translated