Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said Instagram’s algorithm fills his social media feed with OnlyFans models [1].
The comments have drawn attention because El-Sayed is a devout Muslim running for public office, raising questions about the intersection of his personal values and his digital footprint.
El-Sayed addressed the content of his "For You" page, saying that while his team manages the account and likes specific content, the automated feed continues to suggest adult-oriented material. He said that approximately every third video that scrolls on its own is an OnlyFans model [1].
"You're on Instagram," El-Sayed said. "My team has access to my Instagram account and like the things that I actually look at on Instagram, right? Of course we get served that on your 'For You' page, but then like every third video that scrolls on its own is going to be some OnlyFans model" [1].
El-Sayed said the frequency of this content is due to the platform's algorithm and alleged age-profiling [2]. He said the suggestions were not due to his own browsing habits [2].
Critics of the candidate have contested this explanation. Some argue that social media platforms recommend content based on individual user interactions rather than a mysterious algorithmic bias [3]. Rita Panahi of Sky News Australia said the devout Muslim candidate has an "interesting" Instagram algorithm [4].
The situation highlights a growing debate over how much control users have over their algorithmic feeds versus how much those feeds reflect actual user behavior.
“roughly every third video that scrolls on its own is going to be some OnlyFans model”
This incident underscores the tension between user-perceived algorithmic autonomy and the data-driven nature of recommendation engines. In a political context, it demonstrates how personal social media interactions—or the perceived lack of control over them—can become focal points for character scrutiny during a campaign.
