Meta’s latest feature for Instagram, known as Muse Image, is raising privacy concerns as it allows users to generate AI-created images using photos from public Instagram accounts by default. This tool lets users reference public profiles when creating customized AI images, but privacy advocates worry that many individuals might not realize their publicly shared images are being utilized in this manner without explicit consent.
While Meta assures that Muse Image includes safety measures, such as automatically excluding private accounts and users under the age of 18, adults with public profiles are included by default. These users can opt out by adjusting their privacy settings in the “Sharing and Reuse” section, though critics argue the opt-out process is not straightforward. Privacy experts maintain that a more transparent opt-in approach should have been implemented to protect user content from being used for AI image generation.
Concerns further escalate as the possibility arises that images of children may inadvertently be included in AI-generated content, despite protections in place for underage accounts. Photos shared by adults could contain minors, potentially exposing them to unintentional referencing in AI creations.
Meta has stated that Muse Image is equipped with safeguards to prevent misuse, and users can report any inappropriate AI-generated images. Currently, the feature is accessible through the Meta AI app, Instagram Stories in the U.S., and WhatsApp in selected countries, with plans for broader availability in the future.