‘Missed the mark’: Meta removes Instagram AI image feature after backlash over privacy
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Missed the mark’: Meta removes Instagram AI image feature after backlash over privacy")
‘Missed the mark’: Meta removes Instagram AI image feature over privacy concerns Photograph: (AFP)
Meta has discontinued its new AI image-generation feature that used content from public Instagram accounts after widespread privacy concerns and criticism, including from a Hollywood union.
Meta on Friday (Jul 10) said that it was discontinuing an artificial intelligence feature introduced earlier this week that allowed users to generate images using content from public Instagram accounts. The company’s decision comes after the tool triggered widespread backlash over privacy concerns, with critics, including a Hollywood union, questioning how public posts were being used.
“Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public content could be referenced in this way,” Meta said in a statement.
“We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available,” it added.
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Why was Muse Image removed from Instagram?
The feature was developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs and launched on Tuesday (Jul 11). It was integrated into the Meta AI chatbot and allowed users to use existing photos to generate and modify images. However, controversy erupted immediately when users realised the tool automatically opted in public Instagram accounts, meaning their personal images were being used to train or anchor the generation model without explicit prior consent.
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The rollout drew immediate condemnation from high-profile figures and industry advocates. Emmy-winning Hacks star Hannah Einbinder took to Instagram to warn her followers about the automatic activation, urging the public to manually disable the feature.
On Thursday (Jul 9), the actors' union SAG-AFTRA issued a blistering statement urging members and other Instagram users to opt out of the feature.
“Anything other than a clear and conspicuous opt-in for these types of uses of Instagram users' images is unacceptable, and an utter miscalculation of public sentiment regarding the obvious dangers and harms inherent in such use,” SAG-AFTRA said.
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