Instagram is addressing confusion after some users reported receiving unexpected password reset emails in recent days.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, the social media platform owned by Meta Platforms said there was no security breach and that users can safely ignore the emails.
“We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people,” Instagram wrote. “There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure. You can ignore those emails — sorry for any confusion.”
The clarification follows reports from users who received the password reset messages on Friday, Jan. 9. AFROTECH™ reviewed one of the emails sent to affected users.
“Hi [username], We got a request to reset your Instagram password,” the email reads, followed by a prompt encouraging users to take action.
“If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn’t request a password reset, let us know.”
Instagram Uses AI To Enhance User Experience
The apparent glitch comes as Instagram continues to roll out new features for its more than 2 billion users, including tools that give people more control over their content recommendations.
One such update is the company’s Your Algorithm feature, which uses AI to summarize users’ interests based on their activity, AFROTECH™ previously reported. The tool allows users to remove interests if the platform gets it wrong.
The feature can be accessed through the Reels tab by tapping an icon resembling two lines with a heart, which opens a dashboard showing interest categories. From there, users can choose what they want to see more or less of.
Instagram has said it plans to expand the feature to other areas of the app, including the Explore page, AFROTECH™ noted.
Instagram Map Explained
In August 2025, Instagram announced a location-sharing tool called the Instagram Map, which allows users to share their live location with a select group of friends, per AFROTECH™.
The feature is opt-in, meaning it is off by default, giving users control over who can see their location and when. Once activated, a user’s real-time location updates only when the app is open. Users can also view friends’ locations if those friends have chosen to share this information.
Additionally, the map highlights public content posted near specific places, including tagged Reels, Stories, feed posts, and Notes. The feature can be accessed directly from Instagram’s direct message (DM) inbox.
Users do not need to share their location to use Instagram Map; they can still explore tagged content from accounts they follow, even if posted from different places.
