What should I do if I see haram content on my feed?

Look away, scroll past, and train your feed to show you less of it. Seeing something by accident isn't a sin; the first glance is forgiven. What counts is what you do next: don't linger, don't share it, and use the app's tools to hide or block that kind of content.

The first glance isn't on you

On social media, you can't control everything that appears on your screen. Islam is realistic about this. The Prophet ﷺ told Ali: "Don't follow a glance with another; the first is yours, the second is not" (Sunan Abi Dawud 2149). An unexpected image isn't counted against you. Choosing to keep looking is.

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ "Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of what they do." Quran 24:30

The next verse gives the same command to believing women (Quran 24:31). Lowering your gaze applies to screens too.

Don't give it a second look

The Prophet ﷺ said that the eyes commit zina (unlawful intimacy) by looking (Sahih al-Bukhari 6243). Feeds are built to make you pause, and every pause tells the algorithm "show me more of this." So scrolling past quickly protects your heart and your future feed.

Clean up your feed

Hide it: tap "Not interested" or "Hide" so the app learns what you don't want.
Unfollow or mute: accounts that regularly post immodest or harmful content, even if you like their other posts.
Use filters: many apps have sensitive-content and keyword settings. Turn them on.
Turn off autoplay: videos that start on their own are a common trap.
Feed it better: search for and follow good content so the algorithm has something else to show you.

For help deciding who to follow, see Can I still follow celebrities on Instagram as a Muslim?

Should you speak up?

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever sees an evil should change it with his hand, if he can't then with his tongue, and if he can't then with his heart, which is the weakest faith (Sahih Muslim 49). Online, "your hand" can mean reporting content that breaks the platform's rules. "Your tongue" might be a calm, kind comment when it could help. "Your heart" means disliking it and moving on. What you shouldn't do is share it to condemn it, because that only spreads it further.

If you slipped

If you kept watching something you shouldn't have, don't spiral. Ask Allah's forgiveness, close the app, and fix the setting that let it through. Repeated struggles are a sign to change your habits, not to give up. See How do I deal with social media addiction as a Muslim?

Key points

An accidental first glance is forgiven.
Don't linger, and don't share it.
Use hide, mute, filters and report tools.
If you slip, repent and adjust your settings.

Tip: Spend ten minutes today going through your "Following" list. Unfollowing a handful of accounts often changes your whole feed within days.