Meta’s latest attempt to push AI into every corner of Instagram lasted about as long as a Snapchat story. The company launched Muse Image, an AI-powered tool that let users generate or remix images by tagging public Instagram accounts, on July 8. By July 10, it was gone.
The feature allowed anyone to create AI-generated images featuring the likeness of public Instagram profiles. The catch, and it was a big one: public accounts were automatically opted in, meaning your face could show up in someone else’s AI creation without you ever agreeing to it.
Two days and a firestorm
The backlash was swift and loud. Privacy advocates, users, and even talent agencies piled on almost immediately after the launch.
Public Citizen’s J.B. Branch called the approach “creepy.” Journalist Taylor Lorenz was among the vocal critics who flagged the obvious risks: unauthorized deepfakes, non-consensual use of personal likenesses, and a general erosion of digital autonomy.
