Meta Enables AI Image Generation Using Any Public Instagram Profile Photo by Default
Meta launched Muse Image, an AI image generator integrated into Instagram that uses public profile photos and posts as prompts by default. Users can only disable this by manually switching off two toggles buried in the app's privacy settings.
Meta Enables AI Image Generation Using Any Public Instagram Profile Photo by Default
Meta launched Muse Image this week, an AI image generator integrated into Instagram that allows users to tag any public profile and generate images using that person's likeness. The feature is opt-out by default, meaning all public Instagram accounts are automatically available for AI image generation without user consent.
How Muse Image Works
According to Meta, Muse Image "acts as the creative partner that knows your world, making it easy to turn your ideas into high-quality visuals." Users can describe what they want in conversational language, and the system generates images that can be shared to Instagram feeds, stories, or WhatsApp chats.
The feature includes over 30 AI-powered effects for Instagram Stories and works with both new prompts and existing photos.
The Privacy Issue
Any Instagram user can tag a public profile in a prompt to generate AI images using that person's profile photo and posts. Meta implemented this as an opt-out system rather than requiring explicit consent from users whose likenesses are being used.
Wired first reported the privacy implications of the automatic opt-in.
How to Disable
Users must manually disable two separate toggles:
- Open Instagram and tap your profile photo (bottom-right)
- Tap the hamburger menu icon (top-right)
- Scroll to "Sharing and Reuse"
- Under "Allow people to create with and reuse your content," disable both:
- Posts toggle
- Reels toggle
Both toggles are enabled by default.
What This Means
Meta's decision to make this opt-out rather than opt-in continues a pattern of defaulting to maximum data usage while burying privacy controls in settings menus. This approach prioritizes AI training data access over user privacy, forcing users to proactively discover and disable features they may not want. For the estimated 2 billion Instagram users with public profiles, their images are now available for AI generation unless they take manual action to opt out.
Related Articles
Common Sense Media rates ChatGPT for Teens an 'unacceptable risk,' citing failures on 3 of 5 Red Lines
Common Sense Media has labeled OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens an "unacceptable risk," saying it failed three of five severe-harm Red Lines and kept using engagement cues during crisis conversations. OpenAI disputes the testing methodology, saying testing may have ended before parental controls were fully active.
Microsoft's Copilot gets access to local Windows files and OS-level actions under 'Hybrid Intelligence'
Microsoft announced an upgrade to Copilot at its Windows and Surface event that gives the assistant access to local files and the ability to take actions across Windows. The company calls the underlying approach "Hybrid Intelligence," which combines local and cloud AI models. Pricing, model details, and availability were not disclosed in the available reporting.
Microsoft will turn Windows Search into a Copilot-connected command interface this fall
Microsoft announced a redesigned Windows Search menu that accepts short typed commands to change system settings and can converse with the new Copilot app without launching it. The company says the update arrives this fall. Model, pricing and availability details were not disclosed.
OpenAI's Decisions API enters public beta at $0.10 per 1M input tokens, with free output
OpenAI has launched the Decisions API in public beta. It returns yes/no probabilities, category picks, or scale ratings for text and image inputs. Only gpt-6-luna is supported, at $0.10 per 1M input tokens with free output tokens. OpenAI also cut its paid API tiers from five to three.
Comments
Loading...