Meta moved to downplay the security lapse, which came shortly after it began laying off thousands of workers from the week of May 20 [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
Meta is working on securing Instagram accounts after a security breach, wherein users claimed that hackers took over their accounts with the help of Meta’s AI support chatbot.Social media users took to X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit to share how they lost access to their Instagram accounts. Others began spreading videos and screenshots that purported to show how Meta’s own AI chatbot helped the hackers hijack accounts.According to these images and clips, the hacker asked the AI chatbot to change the email ID associated with the user’s Instagram account, so that they could reset the password and take over the handle, essentially kicking out the rightful user.Meta’s AI support chatbot claims to offer “reliable, 24/7 help on Facebook and Instagram” to resolve account issues, with the web page stating that the Meta AI support assistant can even take action for the user.Meta moved to downplay the security lapse, which came after it began laying off thousands of workers from the week of May 20.“This issue has been resolved and we are securing impacted accounts,” posted Meta’s Communications Director Andy Stone on X (formerly Twitter) on June 1.Tech media outlets reported that several high-profile accounts were also compromised around this time, including the Instagram handle linked to former U.S. President Barack Obama’s White House tenure.However, it is not confirmed whether the Instagram handle was hacked due to the Meta AI chatbot’s reported security lapse. While some users claimed that those with 2-factor or multi-factor authentication (MFA) for their Instagram accounts were not impacted by the hackers, security analyst Jane Manchun Wong claimed that her Instagram had been hacked and the password changed — despite having MFA enabled.Meta has not yet published a detailed breakdown of the security breach or identified any specific perpetrators. Published - June 03, 2026 08:09 am IST
