Instagram blames 'bug' for design change that prompted backlash

Published
0
The redesign required users to swipe horizontally instead of the normal vertical scroll to see their feed. —Creative Commons
The redesign required users to swipe horizontally instead of the normal vertical scroll to see their feed. —Creative Commons

Instagram said on Thursday it accidentally rolled out a design change to a large number of users and quickly ended the test after complaints from users of the Facebook-owned social network.

The redesign required users to swipe horizontally instead of the normal vertical scroll to see their feed, befuddling many members of the photo- and video-sharing application, which has over one billion users worldwide.

The move ignited complaints on Twitter where the hashtag #InstagramUpdate became a top trending issue.

Twitter user Jeffree Star lamented “this #instagramupdate almost ruined my morning!!” while journalist Alex Heath of the online service Cheddar remarked that it “seems maybe intended to reduce mindless vertical scrolling?”

Adam Mosseri, who heads Instagram for Facebook, tweeted that the new design was “a test that went to a few orders of magnitude more people than intended.” “Sorry about that.”

Instagram said a short time later that it had rolled back the redesign to the normal vertical scroll.

“Due to a bug, some users saw a change to the way their feed appears today,” said an Instagram message posted on Twitter.

“We quickly fixed the issue and feed is back to normal. We apologize for any confusion.”

Some Instagram users remained upset over the glitch. “Never do it again pls “: tweeted one enraged user.

Opinion

Editorial

Deadly classrooms
Updated 16 Oct, 2026

Deadly classrooms

Parents should not have to become structural engineers to judge whether their children are safe at school.
Diplomatic options
Updated 16 Oct, 2026

Diplomatic options

Regional states know that the alternative to talks — a fully fledged war on both fronts — will bring immeasurable destruction to the Gulf, the Red Sea and the surrounding areas.
Hunger in Pakistan
16 Oct, 2026

Hunger in Pakistan

PAKISTAN’S position as the country most affected by hunger in South Asia is not surprising. An economy battered by...
Lagging behind
Updated 15 Oct, 2026

Lagging behind

The immediate task is to contain inflation and protect vulnerable households without reviving unsustainable subsidies or excessive demand.
India voter purge
Updated 15 Oct, 2026

India voter purge

Earlier, the BJP and its Hindutva cohorts could get away with trampling the rights of Indian Muslims, but now their shenanigans are not working.
Multan derailment
15 Oct, 2026

Multan derailment

IN numerous states, including many of Pakistan’s neighbours, rail transport is a safe and affordable mode of...