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[TECHNOLOGY] · United States · 100 sources

Meta removes Instagram AI image tool over privacy concerns

Meta launched Muse Image, its first generative‑AI image model, on July 7 2026 and integrated it into Instagram and WhatsApp. The feature let users create images by mentioning a public Instagram account (using @‑tags), automatically drawing on that account’s photos and Reels as source material. The option was enabled by default – an opt‑out rather than an opt‑in – and private accounts or users under 18 were excluded.

Privacy advocates, digital‑rights groups and entertainment unions such as SAG‑AFTRA and the CAA quickly condemned the design, warning that it allowed non‑consensual use of people’s likenesses and could facilitate deep‑fake abuse. The backlash spread across social media, prompting Meta to acknowledge that the feature “missed the mark.”

Less than a week after its debut, Meta disabled the public‑account‑referencing capability, stating the feature would no longer be available. The broader Muse Image model remains active, but Instagram users can now prevent any reuse of their posts and Reels by turning off the “Sharing and reuse” toggle in the app’s settings.

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