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Meta AI image tool draws backlash over reuse of public Instagram pics
The feature, available via the Meta AI app, web and WhatsApp or Instagram Stories for US users, includes an opt-out setting in Instagram’s Sharing and Reuse menu.
Meta has launched its Muse Image text-to-image tool, allowing US users to generate AI pictures using profile photos from Instagram public accounts, a change that has triggered backlash over consent and privacy.
According to BBC Business, critics say it risks non-consensual AI-altered imagery and that Meta should provide clearer protections as regulators and campaigners increase scrutiny of AI-generated images. Foxglove advocacy director Donald Campbell called it an “obvious recipe for disaster,” and Privacy International criticized the move as a sign that AI firms treat images and data as material to be exploited.
Meta said users can opt out of having their images reused even with a public account, with the setting separate from standard account privacy controls. The company directs users to Instagram settings, then Sharing and Reuse, where they can switch off “Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features at Meta” for posts and reels.
The rollout also places Meta in a crowded market of text-to-image generators, with BBC Business noting the tool is free for “everyday creation” while heavier usage is tied to additional access. The BBC also pointed to related regulatory attention, including Ofcom investigating X’s role in creating and sharing non-consensual AI-altered images.