Meta u-turns on AI feature amid privacy backlash

Technology Meta u-turns on AI feature amid privacy backlash Comments: by Sarah Davis - 07/11/26 9:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Davis - 07/11/26 9:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta took down a new artificial intelligence model for Instagram on Friday, just days after debuting this feature to immediate public backlash.

The company advertised its Muse Image AI model on Tuesday as a “creative partner” that people could use to generate AI photos for their social media pages.

However, the feature drew widespread criticism over privacy and copyright concerns after all users were automatically opted in to this new feature.

“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.”

The new Instagram feature was part of a broader rollout of Muse Image on WhatsApp and the Meta AI app. The Friday decision only pauses this model’s use on Instagram.

SAG-AFTRA, a labor union representing performers and broadcasters, called the new model “unacceptable” and shared instructions for how users could turn off these automatic settings in social media posts following Meta’s announcement.

“With the dangers of nonconsensual digital replicas well known to all, a feature that encouraged that behavior is unwise,” the union said on Friday. “We appreciate its discontinuance. It is the responsible thing to do.”

Watchdog group Public Citizen also shared their approval of Meta’s decision to take down this “invasive” feature in a social media statement on Saturday.

“Big Tech wanted to strip away our right to privacy. But the people spoke up, and we won,” the group said.

The company previously came into hot water last fall over its AI video generator Sora. The app shut down in March after users similarly complained that the feature presented copyright issues and raised concerns that it could lead to an increase in nonconsensual images.

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