Meta has suspended a newly launched artificial intelligence feature on Instagram after widespread criticism over privacy and consent, just days after introducing the tool to users.
The company announced on Friday that it had paused the feature, which allowed users to generate AI-created images based on content from public Instagram accounts. The tool had automatically included all users with public profiles, prompting concerns that people’s likenesses were being used without their permission.
In a statement, Meta acknowledged the criticism and confirmed that the feature had been removed from Instagram.
“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,” the company said. “We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available.”
The feature formed part of the launch of Muse Image, Meta’s latest AI-powered image generation technology, which was introduced earlier this week. While the Instagram version has been withdrawn, Muse Image remains available through WhatsApp and the Meta AI application. Other AI-powered features announced for Instagram, including image filters created using Muse Image, continue to operate.
The decision follows an immediate backlash from users, many of whom voiced concerns about privacy, copyright and the use of personal images without explicit consent. Social media platforms quickly filled with posts explaining how users could avoid the feature by switching their accounts from public to private or adjusting their privacy settings.
The controversy also attracted criticism from the entertainment industry. Creative Artists Agency, one of Hollywood’s largest talent agencies, contacted Meta on behalf of its clients, arguing that artists should retain control over how their images and creative work are used.
In a statement issued earlier this week, the agency said creators should have the right to decide whether their likenesses can be used by artificial intelligence systems and under what conditions.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) also criticised the rollout, calling Meta’s decision to automatically include users “an utter miscalculation of public sentiment” surrounding artificial intelligence.
The episode adds to a growing list of challenges facing technology companies as they expand AI-powered image generation tools. Several firms have faced criticism over copyright protection, privacy safeguards and the misuse of AI-generated content.
OpenAI previously encountered copyright concerns following the launch of its Sora video generation system, while social media platform X limited public image generation by its Grok chatbot after manipulated images spread widely online. Google has also faced scrutiny over the way its AI systems generate images.
Despite the setback, Meta continues to expand its artificial intelligence offerings. The company released an updated version of its Muse Spark AI model on Thursday and plans to introduce an AI-powered video generation tool in the coming months as competition in the rapidly growing AI sector intensifies.
