Meta Pulls Instagram Tagging Option for Muse Image After Public Backlash

Overview

• Meta introduced Muse Image’s Instagram tagging feature earlier in July and removed the @-mention account‑reference option three days after rollout when users and creators pushed back.
• The feature let people generate AI images by tagging public Instagram accounts, used public photos by default and required users to opt out rather than opt in.
• Account holders received no alerts when their images were used as AI references, which critics say raises the risk of undisclosed manipulation, impersonation and scams.
• Industry groups and privacy advocates including SAG-AFTRA, Open Rights Group and security researchers condemned the design as unsafe, and some warned it could enable deepfakes and misuse of photos of children.
• Meta has kept the underlying Muse Image model active on Meta AI and other apps, leaving open questions about future opt‑in rules, notification tools and likely regulatory or legal challenges under laws such as GDPR and national tech rules.