Meta has confirmed it is working to resolve a technical issue on Instagram that causes a “results hidden” message when users search for terms like “Democrat” or “Democrats.” The glitch has raised concerns among some social media users, who have accused the company of political bias, particularly since it emerged following the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Monday, an event attended by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The issue appears to affect users searching for the hashtags “#Democrat” and “#Democrats,” with no results being shown. When users manually search for “Democrats,” Instagram displays a message that reads, “we’ve hidden these results,” warning that the term may contain sensitive content. In contrast, searches for “#Republican” return over 3 million posts without issue.

Social media expert Matt Navarra suggested that the issue was more likely a technical glitch rather than intentional political bias. However, he acknowledged that in today’s highly polarized environment, even unintentional errors can quickly escalate into accusations of partisanship. “If these issues are not resolved quickly, they risk fueling conspiracy theories and damaging Meta’s reputation,” Navarra told the BBC.

In a statement to the BBC, Meta acknowledged the problem, saying, “We’re aware of an error affecting hashtags across the political spectrum and we are working quickly to resolve it.” The company has not yet specified what caused the issue or when a fix will be implemented.

The glitch comes at a time when Meta is under increased scrutiny for its political ties. Zuckerberg’s attendance at Trump’s inauguration marks the latest in a series of moves that have drawn attention to the company’s relationships with the Republican administration. In January, Meta announced changes to its content moderation policies, which Zuckerberg linked to the “cultural tipping point” represented by Trump’s return to office.

Additionally, Meta recently appointed Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican figure, as the company’s new global affairs chief, replacing Sir Nick Clegg. The move has further fueled discussions about Meta’s alignment with conservative political interests. Zuckerberg has also been seen in close proximity to Trump, with a visit to the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in November and a Meta donation to a Trump fund.

Despite previous criticism from Trump and his allies, who accused Meta of censoring right-wing voices, Trump has praised the company for removing fact-checkers from its platforms, saying it marked a significant shift. He also expressed approval of Zuckerberg’s actions, stating that Meta had “come a long way” in its handling of political content.

Meta has not yet commented on whether the current issue is related to its recent policy changes or if it is an isolated technical malfunction.

An Indian court has sentenced Sanjay Roy, a hospital volunteer, to life in prison for the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata, a case that sparked nationwide outrage and protests. The judge rejected demands for the death penalty, ruling that Roy would serve a life sentence, which means he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Roy, who was convicted over the weekend, has maintained his innocence and is expected to appeal the verdict in a higher court. The victim’s family, however, expressed their shock at the sentence and insisted on a harsher punishment. “We will continue our fight, and won’t let investigations stop… Come what may, we will fight for justice,” the woman’s father said in an interview with AFP.

Indian law prohibits the disclosure of identities in sexual violence cases, including the names of victims and their family members.

The conviction follows the tragic murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor last August at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The woman, who had worked a night shift, had gone to sleep in a seminar hall at the hospital. Her half-naked, severely injured body was later found by a colleague near a podium.

An autopsy revealed that the woman had been strangled and showed signs of a struggle, suggesting she fought back against her attacker. The brutal crime prompted widespread protests and raised concerns about the safety of healthcare workers, particularly women, in India. In Kolkata, doctors held a strike for weeks, demanding justice and accountability, accusing authorities of mishandling the investigation.

Roy was arrested a day after the crime. According to investigators, he was drunk when he entered the hospital and found the woman sleeping alone. The case was taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s top crime agency, which had requested the death penalty for Roy.

Despite this, the judge did not consider the crime to be of the “rarest-of-rare” nature, a legal standard often used in death penalty cases. Before sentencing, Roy was allowed to speak in court, where he claimed that he was innocent and was “falsely implicated,” without naming any other suspects. The judge dismissed these claims, confirming Roy’s guilt.

The sentence has drawn criticism from some political figures and members of the public. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating, “We want justice. Such criminals should be hanged.”