Technical Glitch Sparks Accusations of Bias
Meta is urgently working to resolve an Instagram issue that displays a “results hidden” message when users search for “Democrat” or “Democrats.” Many social media users have accused the platform of political bias, especially since the issue arose shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg attended the event, adding fuel to these claims.
Meta denies any political bias and attributes the problem to a technical glitch. The issue has also affected other hashtags, including one for Republicans. Social media expert Matt Navarra called the situation “embarrassing” for Instagram. “In today’s hyper-partisan climate, even accidental errors like this can lead to serious accusations of partisanship,” Navarra said. He warned that delays in fixing such problems could amplify conspiracy theories and harm Meta’s reputation.
When users type “#Democrat” or “#Democrats,” they see no results. In contrast, the hashtag “Republican” displays 3.3 million posts. Searching manually for “Democrats” shows a screen stating: “Results for the term you searched for may contain sensitive content.” Similar limitations occur with searches for “Republicans,” although “Republican” produces more results.
Meta acknowledged the problem, stating: “We’re aware of an error affecting hashtags across the political spectrum and are working quickly to resolve it.”
Zuckerberg and the Republican Shift
Mark Zuckerberg’s recent actions have drawn attention to Meta’s evolving relationship with the Republican administration. In January, Meta announced significant changes to its content moderation policies. Zuckerberg cited the “cultural tipping point” represented by Trump’s re-election.
Joel Kaplan, a notable Republican, was appointed as Meta’s global affairs chief, replacing Sir Nick Clegg. In November, Zuckerberg visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Meta also made a donation to a Trump fund. This aligns with a broader shift in the company’s approach to U.S. politics.
Trump and his allies have previously criticized Meta, alleging censorship of conservative voices. They even threatened legal action against Zuckerberg. However, Trump praised Meta’s decision to eliminate fact-checkers, stating the company had “come a long way.”
Meta’s efforts to resolve these issues come at a critical time, as accusations of bias and technical errors risk further straining its reputation in a politically charged environment.