Meta launched an AI image tool on July 7 that let anyone generate pictures using public Instagram photos. Three days later, the company shut that feature down.
The feature in question was part of Meta’s Muse Image AI, a text-to-image generator that also offered photo-based editing capabilities. The problem wasn’t the AI model itself, which remains operational. It was the part where Muse could reference public Instagram profile images by default, essentially turning every public account into an open asset library for AI-generated content.
What happened, and why it blew up
Meta didn’t ask users whether they wanted their photos included. The company opted for an opt-out mechanism, meaning your public Instagram images were fair game unless you actively went into settings and turned the feature off.
The backlash was immediate and broad. Privacy advocates flagged the obvious risks of non-consensual use of personal likenesses. CAA, one of the industry’s most powerful talent agencies, and SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, both called for stricter consent measures.
