Meta has launched Muse Image, an AI tool that generates new images and deepfakes by remixing public photos from Instagram [1].

The tool introduces significant privacy and intellectual property concerns because it uses existing user content to create synthetic imagery. While Meta presents the feature as a way to expand creative possibilities, critics argue it threatens the likeness rights of millions of users [1, 5].

Instagram currently has over one billion monthly active users [1]. The Muse Image tool is integrated into the platform and available worldwide where Instagram is accessible [1, 3]. Under the current system, most users with public profiles are included in the AI's training and generation capabilities unless they manually opt out [2, 4].

This "opt-out" approach has drawn sharp criticism from the entertainment industry. SAG-AFTRA, a union representing about 160,000 members, has urged its talent to disable the feature to prevent unauthorized use of their images [2, 5].

"We urge our members to opt out of Instagram’s Muse Image AI tool to protect their likenesses," a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson said [5].

Privacy advocates and cybersecurity firms have joined the union in flagging the tool's potential for misuse. The ability to generate deepfakes from public photos could facilitate the creation of misleading or harmful content, a risk that increases as the tool reaches a global audience [2, 3].

Meta maintains that the tool is designed for creativity, but the requirement for users to find and toggle a specific setting to protect their photos remains a point of contention [4].

“Meta has launched Muse Image, an AI tool that generates new images and deepfakes by remixing public photos from Instagram.”

The launch of Muse Image signals a shift toward 'opt-out' rather than 'opt-in' consent for AI training on social media. By defaulting users into the system, Meta prioritizes the rapid scaling of its generative AI capabilities over proactive privacy controls. This creates a legal and ethical tension between platform terms of service and the individual's right to control their digital likeness, particularly for public figures whose images hold commercial value.