Why Instagram users are freaking out over new Meta AI photo edit feature and how to stop it

Instagram users are raising concerns online after Meta announced that anyone can tag your Instagram account to create AI images. Here is how the feature works, and how you can stop it.

In Short

• Muse Image lets users create and edit visuals across Meta's apps
• Public Instagram accounts are automatically included unless users manually switch settings off
• People can tag any public profile and account holders receive no alerts

This week, Meta launched its new AI image-generation tool, Muse Image. You can now use Muse Image to generate images on WhatsApp, Meta AI app, or for Instagram Stories with tons of customisation options. But there is a catch. If you have a public Instagram account, you are not the only one who can use it to create your images. Rather, anyone can simply tag your account and create photos with Muse Image.

You see, Muse Image comes with a feature that allows people to use photos from public Instagram accounts in AI-generated images. This can be done by simply tagging your Instagram account in a prompt. And when someone does create any image based on your account, you will not be notified.

Meta describes the feature as a way to personalise AI generations. In one announcement, the company said tagging a username could help Meta AI use public photos as “social context” to build visuals for uses such as event invitations, creative concepts or personalised graphics.

To give you an example, here is a screenshot from Meta AI of how someone can create an image this way.

Internet outraged over Meta AI using Instagram accounts

This has sparked outrage online as users have raised privacy concerns. A key point of contention here is that as default, every public Instagram account is opted-in for this feature. That is, you have to manually opt-out to stop Meta AI from letting others from using your Instagram account to make images.

One user on X called this a “sneaky corporate move.” They claimed that most Instagram users will not know about this feature. The user wrote, “They (Meta) know exactly what they’re doing because most casual users will never even realise their private data is being stolen to train Meta's AI. Distasteful.”

Another person found it unsettling that a company like Meta could use their images for AI content without explicitly notifying them. The person posted, “It’s a bit crazy that our public pics can be used for AI stuff without us really knowing.”

This has raised concerns particularly when it comes to potential misuse online. Another user believed that Instagram may be encouraging people to create AI images of others. The user replied, “Basically Instagram is promoting that you can use anyone's pics without permission and use them to generate ai images including some explicit content and it's very concerning especially for girls.”

Keep in mind that Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot was under scrutiny earlier this year after users on X used the AI chatbot to strip people into bikinis without their consent. X later restricted Grok to only paid users on the app.

How to stop Meta AI from using your Instagram account?

In case you have a public Instagram account, and don’t want someone to create your images on Meta AI, here is what you need to do.

• Open Instagram and go to your profile
• Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner
• Scroll to “Sharing and reuse”
• Find the setting that says “Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta”
• Turn off the toggles for both Posts and Reels

Below these toggles, you may also find a setting that allows “people to create with and reuse your original audio on Meta AI.” When this is turned off, it will stop Meta AI from using your original audio from being used too.

You can also turn your account private to prevent Meta AI from using your photos.

Meta says switching the setting off, or making an account private, will prevent future use of public content in AI generations. But, it will not remove AI images that were already created before the setting was changed.

Do note that Meta AI can only use public Instagram accounts for content generation. Private accounts, and accounts of users under 18 are excluded.

The privacy concerns have also been sharpened by Meta’s record on user data. In 2019, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined Facebook $5 billion over findings that it had misled users about control over personal information, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The tech giant is also facing up to $1.4 trillion in penalties for allegedly harming young Instagram users.

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