CNN anchors Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner were left stunned during their report about a disturbing Instagram glitch that flooded users with violent and graphic content. The issue, described by Meta as an error, caused some Instagram feeds to display reels featuring people being killed or maimed, complete with sensitive content warnings. Bolduan expressed disbelief, asking reporter Clare Duffy how such a glitch could occur and why it happened in the first place.
Duffy explained that the error affected thousands of users yesterday, leading to widespread reports on Twitter. While Meta has acknowledged the issue and is working to fix it, the timing couldn’t be worse for the company. Recent changes to Instagram’s content moderation policies, including a rollback of automated screening for violent content, have raised concerns about an increase in harmful content on the platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously admitted that such changes could lead to more graphic material being shared.
Sidner questioned why such violent content was appearing on Instagram in the first place, while Bolduan emphasized the shock and confusion surrounding the glitch. Duffy added that it remains unclear whether the recent policy changes contributed to the issue or if it was simply a technical malfunction. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and debate about social media safety and content moderation.