A California congressman has vehemently denied allegations of viewing explicit content on a flight after photos circulating on social media appeared to show him scrolling through images of women in underwear.

Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman, 71, found himself at the center of controversy after images posted to X on Friday showed him looking at his tablet with what one viral post described as “porn” during a cross-country flight. The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 12.4 million views by Saturday evening.

Sherman and his office have pushed back strongly against the characterization of the content. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the congressman was simply scrolling through his X feed, where the algorithm had presented content he didn’t specifically request.

“This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter, and, unfortunately, Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don’t ask for or subscribe to,” the spokesperson stated in an email.

Sherman offered a similar explanation to Punchbowl News, specifying that the images appeared in the “For You” section of X, which displays recommended content based on user behavior. “If you have to fly across the country, you look at a lot of stuff on your tablet,” he told the publication.

When pressed about the appropriateness of viewing such content in public, Sherman acknowledged some fault while maintaining he wasn’t viewing pornography. “Is it pornography? I don’t think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No,” he told Punchbowl News. He added candidly, “If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah.”

The incident quickly became political fodder on social media. Donald Trump Jr. responded to the viral post with “Yikes!!!!” Sherman fired back by posting an edited version of the photo showing his iPad screen replaced with the words “Release the Epstein files” – a reference to the controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina also weighed in on the controversy, writing, “I don’t want to hear a single peep from anyone in/around Congress, or the media, [about] how I stroll through an airport ever again.” Mace’s comment references her own recent controversy with Charleston Airport officials, whom she accused of mistreating her, even demanding the CEO’s resignation.

The incident highlights the increasingly blurred lines between public and private behavior for elected officials in the digital age. With smartphones capable of capturing politicians in unguarded moments and social media platforms enabling rapid distribution of such images, public figures face unprecedented scrutiny of their actions, even during personal downtime like flights.

The controversy also raises questions about content moderation and algorithmic recommendations on social media platforms. Sherman’s defense specifically called out changes to X’s algorithm since Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform, suggesting it now surfaces potentially inappropriate content without user request – a claim that could impact how users, especially public figures, engage with the platform.

Sherman, who has represented California’s 32nd congressional district since 1997, is known for his work on financial services legislation and foreign policy. X had not responded to requests for comment on Sherman’s allegations about its algorithm at the time of reporting.