NSFW! Is your Instagram feed flooded with disturbing reels? Here’s why

Are you suddenly seeing disturbing, sensitive, or violent content on your Instagram feed?

You are not alone.

“In the past few hours, my IG Reels feed has suddenly started showing violent or disturbing videos out of nowhere. Feels random,” a user posted on X.

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Users worldwide have reported that their Instagram feeds are unexpectedly filled with violent and NSFW (Not Safe for Work) content.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has now addressed these concerns.

What exactly is happening on Instagram? What does Meta say is causing this issue? And how are users reacting?

We will answer these questions.

What’s happening with Instagram Reels?

Instagram users worldwide have taken to X and Reddit, reporting that their feeds are being flooded with violent and NSFW content.

Users are encountering graphic violence and explicit material, including footage of severe injuries, dead bodies, and violent attacks.

While some of these posts were marked as “Sensitive Content,” they were still accessible, raising concerns about Instagram’s content moderation policies.

Frustrated users have turned to social media to share their experiences, demanding an explanation from Instagram.

The sudden rise in such content has sparked speculation - is this a glitch or a deliberate algorithm change?

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Why are you seeing more sensitive content on Instagram Reels? What did Meta say?

On Thursday, Meta issued an apology and confirmed that it had resolved an “error” that led to Instagram users seeing a surge of violent and graphic content on their Reels feed.

“We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their Instagram Reels feed that should not have been recommended. We apologise for the mistake,” a Meta spokesperson told CNBC.

According to the Meta policy, the company seeks to shield users from distressing imagery and removes content that is excessively violent or graphic. Prohibited material includes videos showing “dismemberment, visible innards or charred bodies”, along with posts containing “sadistic remarks towards imagery depicting the suffering of humans and animals”.

However, Meta does allow some graphic content if it serves to raise awareness about human rights violations, armed conflicts, or terrorism. Such posts may be restricted with warning labels.

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How are users reacting to this issue?

“Opened Instagram this morning, and my entire Reels feed was a horror show - murder clips, brutal fights, rape cases, deadly accidents. And it wasn’t just me; people worldwide saw the same. Was this an algorithm glitch or intentional? Either way, it’s disturbing,” a user posted on X.

Thousands of Instagram users have taken to X and Reddit to report similar experiences, questioning whether others are facing the same issue and demanding a response from Meta.

Although Meta has apologised and claimed to have fixed the problem, some users claim that they are still seeing violent and graphic content on their feeds.

“Is it just me, or did Instagram Reels go crazy today? My feed is full of violent and sensitive stuff!” one user wrote on X.

Some users even shared videos showing their feeds flooded with sensitive content warnings.

Another user posted, “What’s wrong with Instagram today !? My insta feed and reels keep showing sensitive contents. Also cringe, uncomfortable and unwatchable contents. Shockingly this is happening to the majority of the people.”

A third added, “I’ve seen 20+ gun shots, 5 gang fights, 13 fatal accidents, a guy crushed by elephant and a child birth as well on my instagram feed today.”

Has something like this happened before?

This is not the first time Instagram has come under scrutiny for its content moderation.

A past investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that the platform was promoting explicit reels to teenagers as young as 13, even when they were not actively searching for such content.

Between January and April last year, researchers conducted tests by setting up profiles with an age of 13 to observe how Instagram responded. As soon as these accounts were created, the platform started recommending videos featuring suggestive dancing or close-up shots of women’s bodies.

During the investigation, researchers discovered videos containing nudity and, in one instance, a series of videos depicting graphic and explicit sexual acts - within minutes of setting up the account.

On the other hand, when similar tests were run on TikTok and Snapchat, no such content was recommended. Even when actively searching for similar material or following creators known for posting it, those platforms did not automatically push such videos to the test accounts.

A separate internal study from 2022, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, indicated that Meta had long been aware that Instagram displayed more adult content, violent material, and hate speech to younger users compared to adults.

Company surveys found that teenagers on the platform reported experiencing bullying, violent content, and unwanted nudity more frequently than older users. The internal data also confirmed that children were disproportionately exposed to content violating the platform’s guidelines.

The study found that underage users saw three times more restricted content featuring nudity, 1.7 times more violent material, and 4.1 times more bullying-related posts than users over 30. The study also pointed out that Meta’s automated moderation tools were not strong enough to prevent inappropriate content from reaching younger users.