Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash
News Source
β’Fri, 10 Jul 2026 23:55:07 +0000
π° What Happened
Meta removed a new AI feature on Instagram just days after launching it. The feature let people edit photos from public Instagram accounts using AI by @-mentioning them. Users were not told when their photos were used this way. The backlash was immediate. TechCrunch published a guide on how to disable it. Meta said the feature "missed the mark" and took it down.
π The Backstory
The feature was part of Muse Image, a new AI image generator from Meta's Superintelligence Labs. Critics warned it would be used to create fake or inappropriate images using real people's photos. AI has already been misused on social media to generate fake images, including of female celebrities. The decision to remove the feature came after users and news outlets raised concerns about privacy and safety.
π― Why It Matters
Your public photos could be used by AI without your knowledge. This shows how quickly companies push AI tools and then pull them back when people object.
Meta removed a new AI feature on Instagram just days after launching it. The feature let people edit photos from public Instagram accounts using AI by @-mentioning them. Users were not told when their photos were used this way. The backlash was immediate. TechCrunch published a guide on how to disable it. Meta said the feature "missed the mark" and took it down.
The feature was part of Muse Image, a new AI image generator from Meta's Superintelligence Labs. Critics warned it would be used to create fake or inappropriate images using real people's photos. AI has already been misused on social media to generate fake images, including of female celebrities. The decision to remove the feature came after users and news outlets raised concerns about privacy and safety.
Your public photos could be used by AI without your knowledge. This shows how quickly companies push AI tools and then pull them back when people object.