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Meta's New AI Tool Raises Privacy Concerns Over Public Instagram Photos

Published July 9, 2026 at 8:14 AM UTC

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Meta has introduced Muse Image, an AI image generation model that allows users to create images by incorporating public Instagram photos. This feature is enabled by default for all public Instagram accounts, enabling anyone to generate AI images using another user's likeness without their explicit consent. Users are not notified when their photos are used in this manner, raising significant privacy concerns. To prevent their photos from being used, users must manually adjust their Instagram settings to disable this feature. Meta has implemented a watermark system called Content Seal to indicate AI-generated images, but this does not prevent the use of public photos without consent. The company has stated that users will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta, and the opt-out does not apply retroactively. This development has sparked discussions about the balance between technological innovation and individual privacy rights.