Instagram is facing widespread criticism after an investigation revealed that pro-Nazi, Holocaust-denial, and anti-Semitic content was being promoted to millions of users, often alongside advertisements from major American brands. The study found that Instagram's algorithm rapidly recommends more extremist content once a user interacts with even a single fascist-themed post, leading to a feed filled with hate speech and conspiracy theories. The controversy follows recent policy changes by Meta's leadership, which loosened content moderation rules and ended independent fact-checking, a move defended as prioritizing free speech but condemned by critics for enabling the spread of harmful material.

The investigation also uncovered that creators of such content were able to profit significantly, with some earning thousands of dollars through merchandise sales and platform bonuses before being demonetized. Although Meta removed the flagged posts after being notified, the content had already reached a vast audience. The company stated that it does not want this type of material on its platforms and has added the offending posts to its banned database, but concerns remain about the effectiveness of its moderation and the impact of its algorithmic recommendations.