Meta is under fire after Instagram users discovered that searching for hashtags like “#Democrat” and “#Democrats” returned a “results hidden” message, while the hashtag “#Republican” displayed 3.3 million posts. The discrepancy has sparked accusations of political bias, especially as the issue surfaced shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, which Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attended.
Meta has denied any bias, calling it a technical glitch that also affects other hashtags, including Republican ones. In a statement, the company said, “We’re aware of an error affecting hashtags across the political spectrum and we are working quickly to resolve it.”
Social media expert Matt Navarra described the issue as “embarrassing,” adding, “In a hyper-partisan environment, even unintentional errors like this can escalate into accusations of partisanship. If not resolved quickly, it risks damaging Meta’s reputation.”
The timing of the glitch has raised eyebrows due to Zuckerberg’s recent interactions with Trump’s administration. After Trump’s re-election, Meta announced changes to its content moderation policies, with Zuckerberg citing a “cultural tipping point.” The company also made a donation to a Trump fund, and Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican, was recently named Meta’s global affairs chief.
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