Saturday, July 11, 2026: Meta has withdrawn a controversial AI feature that allowed people to create AI-generated images using photos from public Instagram accounts. The company said it listened to user feedback after the feature faced widespread criticism from privacy advocates, creators, and entertainment industry groups.
In a statement shared with Variety, a Meta spokesperson said the feature was designed to give users a new creative option while allowing people to decide whether their public Instagram content could be used. However, the company acknowledged that the rollout failed to meet public expectations and confirmed that the feature has now been removed.
The feature was introduced alongside Muse Image, Meta’s first standalone AI image-generation model. It allowed users of the Meta AI chatbot to generate images by simply tagging a public Instagram account with an “@”. The AI would then use photos from that public profile as a reference to create new AI-generated images.
Hollywood Agency Opposed the Meta Image Creation AI Tool
The biggest concern was how the feature handled user consent. Instead of asking users to opt in, Meta automatically enabled the feature for all public Instagram accounts belonging to adults. Anyone who wanted to stop their photos from being used had to manually turn the setting off.
This raised concerns that strangers could create AI-generated images, including altered or deepfake-style content, using someone else’s publicly available photos without their direct permission.
The feature also drew criticism from Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of Hollywood’s largest talent agencies representing actors including Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.
CAA said AI companies should not use a person’s name, image, voice, or creative work without clear and documented consent. The agency added that responsible AI development should protect creators’ rights and give them full control over how their content is used.
Although Meta has removed this Instagram feature, the company has already said it plans to expand generative AI experiences across its platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger. It remains unclear whether future AI tools will include stronger privacy protections or a different consent process.
