Meta launched its first in-house AI image generation model — called Muse Image — on July 7, 2026. The announcement was framed as a creative milestone for Meta's Superintelligence Labs. What the press release did not lead with is the detail that matters most to ordinary users: if your Instagram account is public, anyone on the internet can now type your @username into an AI prompt and generate a new image of your face. You will not be asked. You will not be told. It happens by default, invisibly, and without your knowledge.&nbsp;How The Feature Actually Works&nbsp;Muse Image is integrated directly into Meta AI, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The mechanism is straightforward and alarming: a user types a prompt into the AI image generator and includes an @mention of any public Instagram account. Meta's system automatically retrieves photos from that profile and uses them as visual references to generate a new AI image that incorporates that person's likeness. The owner of the account being used receives no notification. There is no approval step. No consent is requested. The image is generated, and the subject of it — whose face has just been used by a stranger — has no way of knowing.&nbsp;You Are Opted In By Default&nbsp;Meta's own help centre confirms the default state explicitly: ‘If your account is public and on default settings, people may be able to create content with your Instagram content using AI features at Meta.’ The company did not send push notifications to users explaining this change. It did not require users to actively agree to having their likeness used for AI generation. It activated the feature for all public accounts and put the burden of opting out on individuals who discover it themselves, which is exactly how Meta has handled every controversial privacy change in its history.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meta in a statement to WION said, "You have control over how your content can be tagged for AI creation with an easy setting to turn this feature off at any time." The company added: "We've updated the Settings on Instagram to clarify that when you allow others to reuse your public content in features like remix, that also lets people create with your Instagram content using AI products at Meta. You can opt out by toggling this reuse setting off." Meta's help page with full opt-out instructions is available at help.instagram.com.&nbsp;You Will Not Be Notified When It Happens&nbsp;Perhaps the most disturbing detail is buried in Meta's own support documentation: ‘You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta.’ This means someone could be generating AI images of your face right now. They could be generating dozens of them. They could be sharing them. You would have no way of knowing unless the images surfaced somewhere you happened to see them. There is no log, no alert, no record sent to the account whose likeness was used. The subject of the AI generation is the last person to know.&nbsp;What Kind Of Images Can Be Created?&nbsp;Meta describes Muse Image as capable of following instructions faithfully while drawing from multiple visual references. That description leaves the use cases almost entirely open. A user could generate a realistic-looking image of a colleague, a classmate, an ex-partner, a public figure, or a stranger — using nothing more than their public Instagram photos and a text prompt. The technology is not restricted to benign creative uses. The only constraints are Meta's content policies, which are enforced after generation, not before — and which have historically been inconsistent at scale.&nbsp;How To Opt Out — Do It Now&nbsp;The opt-out process is buried inside Instagram's settings. Open Instagram and go to your profile. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu. Scroll down and tap Settings. Find the section labelled Sharing and Reuse. Under the heading ‘Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta’, toggle off both Posts and Reels. This disables future AI generation using your photos. There is one critical caveat: opting out does not delete images that have already been created using your likeness. If someone generated AI images of you before you found this setting, those images are not removed.&nbsp;The Privacy Calculation Meta Made&nbsp;Meta's decision to default all public accounts into this feature rather than asking for opt-in consent is not an oversight. It is a deliberate product and policy choice. Opt-in consent would produce a much smaller pool of available likeness data. Opt-out defaults produce the maximum possible dataset. The company is aware of the reputational risk — it is currently facing $1.4 trillion in penalties in a separate teen mental health case — and proceeded anyway. For users with public Instagram accounts, the message from Meta is simple: your face is a creative resource for anyone who wants to use it, unless you specifically go into a sub-menu and turn it off yourself.&nbsp;What This Means For Everyone With A Public Account&nbsp;The people most immediately at risk from this feature are not celebrities. Celebrities have teams, legal resources, and public platforms to push back. The people most at risk are ordinary users — young adults, students, professionals — who posted publicly on Instagram because that is what the platform encouraged, without understanding that their photos would one day become training data and generation references for an AI system that strangers can access freely. If your account is public, check that setting today. Meta is not going to check it for you.

Meta's Muse Image lets anyone @-mention your public Instagram to generate AI images of your face. You're opted in by default. No notification is sent. Here's how to turn it off immediately.

Meta launched its first in-house AI image generation model — called Muse Image — on July 7, 2026. The announcement was framed as a creative milestone for Meta's Superintelligence Labs. What the press release did not lead with is the detail that matters most to ordinary users: if your Instagram account is public, anyone on the internet can now type your @username into an AI prompt and generate a new image of your face. You will not be asked. You will not be told. It happens by default, invisibly, and without your knowledge. How The Feature Actually Works Muse Image is integrated directly into Meta AI, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The mechanism is straightforward and alarming: a user types a prompt into the AI image generator and includes an @mention of any public Instagram account. Meta's system automatically retrieves photos from that profile and uses them as visual references to generate a new AI image that incorporates that person's likeness. The owner of the account being used receives no notification. There is no approval step. No consent is requested. The image is generated, and the subject of it — whose face has just been used by a stranger — has no way of knowing. You Are Opted In By Default Meta's own help centre confirms the default state explicitly: ‘If your account is public and on default settings, people may be able to create content with your Instagram content using AI features at Meta.’ The company did not send push notifications to users explaining this change. It did not require users to actively agree to having their likeness used for AI generation. It activated the feature for all public accounts and put the burden of opting out on individuals who discover it themselves, which is exactly how Meta has handled every controversial privacy change in its history. Meta in a statement to WION said, "You have control over how your content can be tagged for AI creation with an easy setting to turn this feature off at any time." The company added: "We've updated the Settings on Instagram to clarify that when you allow others to reuse your public content in features like remix, that also lets people create with your Instagram content using AI products at Meta. You can opt out by toggling this reuse setting off." Meta's help page with full opt-out instructions is available at help.instagram.com. You Will Not Be Notified When It Happens Perhaps the most disturbing detail is buried in Meta's own support documentation: ‘You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta.’ This means someone could be generating AI images of your face right now. They could be generating dozens of them. They could be sharing them. You would have no way of knowing unless the images surfaced somewhere you happened to see them. There is no log, no alert, no record sent to the account whose likeness was used. The subject of the AI generation is the last person to know. What Kind Of Images Can Be Created? Meta describes Muse Image as capable of following instructions faithfully while drawing from multiple visual references. That description leaves the use cases almost entirely open. A user could generate a realistic-looking image of a colleague, a classmate, an ex-partner, a public figure, or a stranger — using nothing more than their public Instagram photos and a text prompt. The technology is not restricted to benign creative uses. The only constraints are Meta's content policies, which are enforced after generation, not before — and which have historically been inconsistent at scale. How To Opt Out — Do It Now The opt-out process is buried inside Instagram's settings. Open Instagram and go to your profile. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu. Scroll down and tap Settings. Find the section labelled Sharing and Reuse. Under the heading ‘Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta’, toggle off both Posts and Reels. This disables future AI generation using your photos. There is one critical caveat: opting out does not delete images that have already been created using your likeness. If someone generated AI images of you before you found this setting, those images are not removed. The Privacy Calculation Meta Made Meta's decision to default all public accounts into this feature rather than asking for opt-in consent is not an oversight. It is a deliberate product and policy choice. Opt-in consent would produce a much smaller pool of available likeness data. Opt-out defaults produce the maximum possible dataset. The company is aware of the reputational risk — it is currently facing $1.4 trillion in penalties in a separate teen mental health case — and proceeded anyway. For users with public Instagram accounts, the message from Meta is simple: your face is a creative resource for anyone who wants to use it, unless you specifically go into a sub-menu and turn it off yourself. What This Means For Everyone With A Public Account The people most immediately at risk from this feature are not celebrities. Celebrities have teams, legal resources, and public platforms to push back. The people most at risk are ordinary users — young adults, students, professionals — who posted publicly on Instagram because that is what the platform encouraged, without understanding that their photos would one day become training data and generation references for an AI system that strangers can access freely. If your account is public, check that setting today. Meta is not going to check it for you.

Meta launched a new AI image model called Muse Image on July 7, 2026. If your Instagram account is public, strangers can now @-mention your profile in an AI prompt and Meta will pull your photos to generate new images of your face — without your consent, without notifying you, and without any way for you to know it happened. You are opted in by default. Here is what the feature does, why it is dangerous, and exactly how to turn it off.

Instagram will now let anyone generate deepfake of your face, unless you opt out right now

Indian government on Sunday (Jul 5) issued a stern notice to Meta, directing it to immediately remove all advertisements and content on Instagram that promotes ot facilitates access to Child Sexual Exploitative &amp; Abuse Material (CSEAM). The Centre has also demanded a detailed explanation from the company within seven days, new agency ANI reported, citing sources. This comes a day after IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon Meta over the matter.The ministry has demanded Meta to immediately pull down all paid ads on Instagram linked to CSEAM. Officials have also asked the company to act fast to stop anything like this from slipping through again.Meta has been given a week to respond with a full explanation of how this happened and what it plans to change. Officials said the concern comes from reports that some paid ads were allegedly being used to push users toward external websites hosting illegal child abuse material.The Centre has taken a serious view of the issue, especially allegations that Instagram’s systems may have been boosting or spreading such content through algorithmic recommendations. It has directed Meta to act immediately to stop any promotion or circulation of this material.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-on-red-alert-imd-warns-of-extremely-heavy-rain-this-weekend-1783133546552">Mumbai on red alert as IMD warns of heavy rain; severe waterlogging in Gujarat</a>This comes amid rising concerns about how social media platforms are being misused to spread or enable access to illegal and harmful content, with authorities pushing for stricter safeguards and faster action from tech companies.This is the second time this week that Meta officials were summoned by MeitY. Earlier, ANI reported that ministry officials had already met Meta representatives to discuss concerns linked to the government’s notice over WhatsApp’s proposed usernames feature.<h2>What did Meta say?</h2>In an email statement, a Meta spokesperson told WION that they have a “zero tolerance policy” for content and ads relating to CSAM. It added that its teams are constantly working to improve protection on its platform.“Meta has a zero tolerance policy for soliciting or sharing CSAM, including in ads. We use advanced AI technology to proactively detect violating content and individuals, but we are in a constant battle with criminals who hide among our 3.5 billion users and try to evade our detection. That is why our expert teams are constantly working to improve our defenses, develop new technology to root out predators, block links to violating websites, and share intelligence with other companies so they can take action too,” the spokesperson said.Watch | UK national crime agency &amp; WEF release child safety guidelines<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-national-crime-agency-wef-release-child-safety-guidelines-1783168942032/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-national-crime-agency-wef-release-child-safety-guidelines-1783168942032/embed</a>&nbsp;

Indian government has ordered Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual exploitative content and sought a detailed response within seven days.

Indian government on Sunday (Jul 5) issued a stern notice to Meta, directing it to immediately remove all advertisements and content on Instagram that promotes ot facilitates access to Child Sexual Exploitative & Abuse Material (CSEAM). The Centre has also demanded a detailed explanation from the company within seven days, new agency ANI reported, citing sources. This comes a day after IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon Meta over the matter. The ministry has demanded Meta to immediately pull down all paid ads on Instagram linked to CSEAM. Officials have also asked the company to act fast to stop anything like this from slipping through again. Meta has been given a week to respond with a full explanation of how this happened and what it plans to change. Officials said the concern comes from reports that some paid ads were allegedly being used to push users toward external websites hosting illegal child abuse material. The Centre has taken a serious view of the issue, especially allegations that Instagram’s systems may have been boosting or spreading such content through algorithmic recommendations. It has directed Meta to act immediately to stop any promotion or circulation of this material. Also read | Mumbai on red alert as IMD warns of heavy rain; severe waterlogging in Gujarat This comes amid rising concerns about how social media platforms are being misused to spread or enable access to illegal and harmful content, with authorities pushing for stricter safeguards and faster action from tech companies. This is the second time this week that Meta officials were summoned by MeitY. Earlier, ANI reported that ministry officials had already met Meta representatives to discuss concerns linked to the government’s notice over WhatsApp’s proposed usernames feature. What did Meta say? In an email statement, a Meta spokesperson told WION that they have a “zero tolerance policy” for content and ads relating to CSAM. It added that its teams are constantly working to improve protection on its platform. “Meta has a zero tolerance policy for soliciting or sharing CSAM, including in ads. We use advanced AI technology to proactively detect violating content and individuals, but we are in a constant battle with criminals who hide among our 3.5 billion users and try to evade our detection. That is why our expert teams are constantly working to improve our defenses, develop new technology to root out predators, block links to violating websites, and share intelligence with other companies so they can take action too,” the spokesperson said. Watch | UK national crime agency & WEF release child safety guidelines https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-national-crime-agency-wef-release-child-safety-guidelines-1783168942032/embed

Indian government has ordered Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual exploitative content and has sought a detailed response within seven days.

India orders Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse, demands explanation in 7 days: Report

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed.

The research specifically focused on girls aged between 17 and 19. It revealed that when exposed to ads featuring thin or curvy models, female users of Instagram might develop a physical inferiority complex.&nbsp;

The research reaffirms the results of previous studies that highlighted how exposure to idealised body types in media can lead to body dissatisfaction and even unhealthy behaviours.

<h2>How was study conducted?</h2>

The study involved 284 young women aged 17-19, all enrolled in a psychology course at an Australian university. They were selected from a research participant pool and had to meet specific criteria, such as being regular Instagram users and not having diagnosed eating disorders or body dysmorphia.&nbsp;

The research aimed to understand how exposure to Instagram ads featuring both thin and curvy models affected these participants.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey-quits-instagram-the-coveted-handle-may-be-up-for-grabs-626714">Also read:&nbsp;Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey quits Instagram, his coveted handle may be up for grabs</a>

To assess the impact of this exposure, the researchers used various measures, including participants' body image preferences (whether they preferred thin or curvy body types), how often they compared themselves to these idealised images, their body satisfaction level, and their willingness to take actions to achieve a thinner or curvier body.

The results indicated that participants who had more exposure to thin or curvy models through Instagram advertising were more likely to prefer those body types. This suggests that Instagram ads can influence people's preferences for certain body ideals.

Watch:&nbsp;Trending on WION: Meta to lift breast images ban rule in Facebook, Instagram

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Furthermore, the study found that exposure to these body ideals was associated with a greater willingness to take specific actions to attain them. Those who preferred thin bodies were more open to actions like dieting or surgery to reduce their waist size, while those who preferred curvy bodies were more inclined to consider procedures to increase breast and buttocks size.&nbsp;

<h2>Dissatisfaction - a key factor</h2>

The research also revealed that dissatisfaction with their bodies played a key role for teenagers in affecting decisions to alter their appearance.

Study author Jannatul Shimul Ferdousi, a PhD student in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, was quoted as saying by Psypost that there needs to be updated policies and government intervention to stop this menace.

“This highlights the need for updated policies and interventions so that they take into account the impact of newer advertising platforms and body ideals on body image,” said Ferdousi.

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&nbsp;

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed.

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed. The research specifically focused on girls aged between 17 and 19. It revealed that when exposed to ads featuring thin or curvy models, female users of Instagram might develop a physical inferiority complex. The research reaffirms the results of previous studies that highlighted how exposure to idealised body types in media can lead to body dissatisfaction and even unhealthy behaviours. How was study conducted? The study involved 284 young women aged 17-19, all enrolled in a psychology course at an Australian university. They were selected from a research participant pool and had to meet specific criteria, such as being regular Instagram users and not having diagnosed eating disorders or body dysmorphia. The research aimed to understand how exposure to Instagram ads featuring both thin and curvy models affected these participants. Also read: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey quits Instagram, his coveted handle may be up for grabs To assess the impact of this exposure, the researchers used various measures, including participants' body image preferences (whether they preferred thin or curvy body types), how often they compared themselves to these idealised images, their body satisfaction level, and their willingness to take actions to achieve a thinner or curvier body. The results indicated that participants who had more exposure to thin or curvy models through Instagram advertising were more likely to prefer those body types. This suggests that Instagram ads can influence people's preferences for certain body ideals. Watch: Trending on WION: Meta to lift breast images ban rule in Facebook, Instagram × Furthermore, the study found that exposure to these body ideals was associated with a greater willingness to take specific actions to attain them. Those who preferred thin bodies were more open to actions like dieting or surgery to reduce their waist size, while those who preferred curvy bodies were more inclined to consider procedures to increase breast and buttocks size. Dissatisfaction - a key factor The research also revealed that dissatisfaction with their bodies played a key role for teenagers in affecting decisions to alter their appearance. Study author Jannatul Shimul Ferdousi, a PhD student in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, was quoted as saying by Psypost that there needs to be updated policies and government intervention to stop this menace. “This highlights the need for updated policies and interventions so that they take into account the impact of newer advertising platforms and body ideals on body image,” said Ferdousi. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Instagram ads might lead teen girls to undertake appearance-altering measures: Report

Facebook is launching ads globally on Instagram Reels, it said on Thursday.

Facebook began testing Instagram Reels ads in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia in April. The tests ran with brands like BMW, Louis Vuitton, Netflix and Uber.&nbsp;

Facebook is aiming to monetise&nbsp;its short-form video feature.

"We see Reels as a great way for people to discover new content on Instagram, and so ads are a natural fit," said Instagram's Chief Operating Officer Justin Osofsky. "Brands of all sizes can take advantage of this new creative format in an environment where people are already being entertained."

The company said that Reels ads, which will loop and can be up to 30 seconds long, will appear between individual Reels.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook is launching ads globally on Instagram Reels, it said on Thursday. Facebook began testing Instagram Reels ads in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia in April.

Facebook is launching ads globally on Instagram Reels, it said on Thursday. Facebook began testing Instagram Reels ads in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia in April. The tests ran with brands like BMW, Louis Vuitton, Netflix and Uber. Facebook is aiming to monetise its short-form video feature. "We see Reels as a great way for people to discover new content on Instagram, and so ads are a natural fit," said Instagram's Chief Operating Officer Justin Osofsky. "Brands of all sizes can take advantage of this new creative format in an environment where people are already being entertained." The company said that Reels ads, which will loop and can be up to 30 seconds long, will appear between individual Reels. (With inputs from agencies)

Facebook launches ads for Instagram Reels

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Instagram will now let anyone generate deepfake of your face, unless you opt out right now

India orders Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse: Report

Instagram ads might lead teen girls to undertake appearance-altering measures: Report

Facebook launches ads for Instagram Reels