Instagram is used by billions but when many of them got a password reset email in the last few weeks, the alarm bells started ringing. Numerous stories suggested that Instagram data had been compromised, which caused a huge commotion as people looked for explanations regarding the potential user leak.
Particularly for users who are unsure if the behavior was recorded by the company or transmitted by hackers, data leaks are difficult to identify. In this instance, the email may have appeared suspicious, but it appears that Instagram has disputed that its users’ data was compromised.
Instagram Disavows Leak Fears
Instagram asserts that there was no systemic data breach that might have exposed your information. In light of this, how do you account for the thousands of password reset emails that have been sent out over the past few weeks? According to the firm, the alleged breach-like email sent to consumers was caused by a technical problem that made it possible for persons other than account holders to initiate the password reset procedure.
Instagram added that no information has been compromised and that all of its internal systems are safe. In a post published on X during the past 24 hours, users were reassured about the activities and asked to disregard the emails.
We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people. There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure.
— Instagram (@instagram) January 11, 2026
You can ignore those emails — sorry for any confusion.
Most people would argue that a statement like this should allay the worries, but we have witnessed similar incidents in the past, where the firms first denied their claims before eventually retracting them. In addition to the password reset emails, a MalwareBytes report stated that 17.5 million Instagram users’ personal information was compromised by cybercriminals, and the mail activity raised concerns among all Instagram users.
According to the report, scammers may exploit the compromised data by crafting personal emails in an effort to phish their accounts and even devices for additional harm.
Although data breaches are now quite harmful, it is simple to identify the safeguards that can keep you safe. Clicking on links from emails that may have unexpectedly appeared in your inbox should be done with caution. Setting up two-factor authentication for account logins and other activities is another significant modification you may make.
