Meta Removes Instagram AI Feature That Let Users Remix Public Accounts
4 verified3 unconfirmed
Meta has removed a feature from its new Muse Image AI tool on Instagram following backlash from users and industry groups. The feature, rolled out earlier this week, allowed individuals to generate AI images by @-mentioning public Instagram accounts. It applied to all public profiles unless users actively opted out, and did not notify the account owner when their content was used. Critics including talent agencies and actors’ unions argued the feature violated rights to likeness and could be exploited for harassment. Meta acknowledged the feedback, stating the feature “missed the mark,” and confirmed it is no longer available. The company had offered an opt-out option through settings before deciding to remove the functionality entirely.
What’s verified
Meta removed a feature that let users generate AI images by tagging public Instagram accounts.
The feature was announced earlier in the week and applied to all public profiles unless users opted out.
The decision came after criticism from users, talent agency CAA, and actors’ union SAG-AFTRA.
Meta stated it “heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark” and removed it.
Not yet confirmed
The exact number of users who had used the feature before removal is not reported.
Whether Meta will reintroduce the feature with stricter consent mechanisms is not addressed.
One source reported that the feature did not alert users if their photos were used; another noted that the opt-out required digging through settings.
Key figures
Meta (company)
CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists)
Haley McNamara (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)
Dylan Byers (Puck News founding partner)
Sources: TechCrunch, The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge
