Since yesterday, Instagram users have reported a sharp increase in violent and graphic content appearing on their feeds, with many questioning why the platform's moderation seems to be failing. The sudden shift is not a glitch it appears to be a direct result of a strike by Instagram's content moderation team.

According to a former Meta contractor familiar with the situation, Instagram relies on both AI and human moderation to filter out extreme content. While the AI detects and flags obvious violations, human moderators play a crucial role in adjusting filters, reviewing edge cases, and ensuring harmful content is swiftly removed. However, late Monday, a significant portion of this moderation team walked off the job in protest of recent policy changes and working conditions.

Without human oversight, the algorithm is functioning without the necessary real-time adjustments, causing a massive spike in explicit and violent content slipping through the cracks. Users have reported seeing uncensored accident footage, violent altercations, and other graphic material that would normally be flagged or removed almost instantly.

As of now, Meta has not addressed the issue publicly, and it's unclear how long this situation will last. If the strike continues, Instagram could face serious regulatory scrutiny for failing to maintain its content moderation standards. Until then, users should be aware that sensitive content is far more likely to appear in their feeds.