India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it will examine Meta's newly launched Muse Image AI tool.

The review comes as regulators and creators raise alarms over the tool's ability to generate new images by remixing public Instagram photos. Because the system does not notify account holders when their images are used, the move highlights a growing tension between generative AI development and individual privacy rights.

Muse Image is available across three Meta platforms [1]: the Meta AI app, Instagram Stories, and WhatsApp chats [2]. The tool allows users to create AI-generated content based on existing public imagery, a feature that has drawn criticism from talent unions and digital creators who argue their work is being used without permission [3].

While Meta provides an opt-out setting for users who do not want their photos included in the AI's training or output, the burden of privacy remains with the user [4]. This lack of an opt-in mechanism has sparked a debate over copyright and the ownership of digital likenesses, especially as the tool gains traction in creative industries.

MeitY's decision to investigate follows reports of the rollout on July 9 [5]. The ministry is focusing on whether the tool complies with local data protection standards and if the current opt-out system provides sufficient protection for Indian citizens.

Meta has not provided a detailed public response to the specific MeitY inquiry, but the company has previously integrated similar AI capabilities across its ecosystem to compete with other generative image tools [1]. The outcome of the Indian government's review could set a precedent for how AI companies manage user content across other global markets [3].

“India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it will examine Meta's newly launched Muse Image AI tool.”

This regulatory scrutiny underscores a global shift toward 'opt-in' rather than 'opt-out' consent for AI training. If MeitY finds the current system insufficient, it may force Meta to change how it handles user data in India, potentially creating a fragmented rollout where certain AI features are disabled or modified in specific jurisdictions to comply with local privacy laws.