Meta has deactivated the controversial Muse Image feature, which allowed anyone to generate AI deepfakes from any public Instagram account's posts. The decision follows a wave of criticism from users, associations, and Hollywood agencies, who denounced the lack of explicit consent and the risk of misuse of one's likeness without permission. The company admitted that the feature "missed the mark" and has now removed it.
The Controversial Launch of Muse Image and User Backlash
When Meta introduced Muse Image, it announced that on Instagram, anybody could tag a public account — including yours, if it is public — and automatically generate AI deepfakes based on its posts. The tagger and Muse Image did not even have to ask for permission. In its launch post, Meta wrote that you could @-mention people to use the feature if "you want to design a custom event invitation, mock up a collaborative creative concept or generate a personalized graphic." However, the public reaction was immediately negative. Many users criticized that to prevent the use of their image, they had to dive into settings and toggle off an option labeled "Allow people to create with and reuse your content," or set their profile to private. The opt-out model was seen as unacceptable, raising privacy and consent concerns.
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Hollywood Pressure and the Role of CAA and SAG-AFTRA
According to Variety, it wasn't just ordinary users who criticized the feature. Hollywood agency CAA, whose clients include Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, reportedly raised its concerns directly with Meta. "No one's name, image, likeness, voice or creative work should be used by any third party, including AI models, without clear, documented consent," the agency stated. American labor union SAG-AFTRA also encouraged members to opt out. It is likely that these pressures contributed to Meta's decision to remove the feature. The deactivation comes after a previous study revealed that 57% of enterprises report confident but wrong AI agents due to missing context, highlighting the challenge of balancing innovation and trust.
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Implications for Privacy and Digital Image Control
The Muse Image incident raises broader questions about consent in the generative AI era. While Meta has previously removed contested features, such as the Instagram AI feature after privacy backlash, this episode shows that even tech giants must confront user expectations regarding personal data. The hope is that this lesson will lead to a more transparent, opt-in approach for future AI implementations. For more details, readers can refer to the original article on Engadget.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2212843/meta-deactivates-muse-image-public-instagram-post-ai-images
