Meta’s Muse Image rollout raises fresh privacy questions over public Instagram photos

New Delhi: Meta is facing renewed privacy scrutiny after rolling out Muse Image, an AI image-generation tool that allows users to create images using public Instagram photos, including profile pictures, unless users manually opt out. Meta announced Muse Image on July 7, calling it the first image-generation model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. The company said the tool is now available in Meta AI and can be used to create images from prompts, blend multiple photos and share the output across chats, stories or feeds. It also said users can @ mention to add photos into AI creations. That @ mention feature has triggered criticism because public Instagram accounts are reportedly opted in by default. This means another user can generate AI images using a person’s public Instagram posts, reels or profile picture unless the account holder disables reuse in Instagram settings. Reports said users are not notified when their content is used in such AI images. Opting out restricts future use, but it does not remove AI-generated images that may already have been created. The backlash also comes against the larger debate over Meta’s use of public user content to train and improve its AI models. Public posts, captions, comments, photos and videos on Meta platforms have increasingly become part of the AI privacy debate, with users in some markets able to object through platform settings or privacy forms. For Instagram users, the immediate control for the Muse Image reuse feature is reportedly inside the Instagram app. Users can go to settings and turn off reuse under the “Sharing and reuse” section. Making an account private also prevents public content from being used in this manner. Blocking reuse for Muse Image limits other users from generating AI images with a public Instagram profile. It is not necessarily the same as opting out of all AI model training by Meta, which may be governed by separate privacy controls and local data protection rules. Meta has positioned Muse Image as a consumer creativity product that can help users design invitations, edit pictures, create personalised visuals and generate content for social sharing. The model also powers creative experiences on Instagram and WhatsApp, and is expected to come to Facebook, Messenger and advertisers through Meta Advantage+ creative. In India, the issue could draw regulatory attention because it involves personal images, public platform data, AI-generated content and consent.