Meta claims it is urgently addressing an issue that hides Instagram search results for “Democrats” or “Democrat.” The problem has sparked accusations of bias, particularly on social media platforms.
Some users allege political favoritism, noting the glitch appeared after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, which Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg attended. However, Meta attributes the issue to a technical error, stating it also affects other hashtags, including “Republican.”
Social media expert Matt Navarra described the situation as “embarrassing” for Instagram. He noted, “In today’s divisive climate, even unintentional mistakes like this invite accusations of partisanship.” Navarra warned that unresolved issues could fuel conspiracy theories and harm Meta’s reputation.
Instagram users searching for “#Democrat” or “#Democrats” receive no results. By contrast, the hashtag “#Republican” shows over 3.3 million posts. Searching for “Democrats” manually triggers a message stating results are hidden due to potentially sensitive content. Meanwhile, searches for “Republicans” yield limited results compared to “Republican.”
Meta acknowledged the error, saying, “We’re aware of an issue affecting hashtags across the political spectrum and are working quickly to resolve it.”
Zuckerberg and Meta’s Political Connections
Mark Zuckerberg’s recent actions highlight growing ties with the incoming Republican administration. He attended President Trump’s inauguration and visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November. Meta also made a donation to a Trump fund.
In January, Meta announced changes to its content moderation policies, with Zuckerberg referencing the cultural significance of Trump’s re-election. Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican, replaced Sir Nick Clegg as Meta’s global affairs chief.
Trump and his allies had previously accused Meta of censoring right-wing voices. They even threatened legal action against Zuckerberg. However, Trump later praised Meta’s decision to remove fact-checkers, stating the company had “come a long way.”
