Meta has quietly shut down a controversial AI tool that allowed anyone to create deepfake images from public Instagram accounts without permission. The feature, part of the company’s Muse Image model, let users tag any public profile to generate AI-altered visuals based on that account’s posts. The move comes just days after widespread backlash from users, celebrities, and industry groups.

In a terse update to its original announcement, Meta acknowledged the feature “missed the mark.” The company had initially pitched the tool as a way to “design a custom event invitation, mock up a collaborative creative concept, or generate a personalized graphic.” But critics pointed out that the only way to block the feature was to toggle off a buried setting labeled “Allow people to create with and reuse your content,” or to switch your profile to private. The default was opt-in for public accounts, meaning your images could be used without your knowledge or consent.

The backlash wasn’t limited to everyday users. Hollywood talent agency CAA, which represents stars like Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, directly raised concerns with Meta. “No one’s name, image, likeness, voice or creative work should be used by any third party, including AI models, without clear, documented consent,” the agency said in a statement. SAG-AFTRA, the American actors’ union, also urged its members to opt out. Whether these organizations directly forced Meta’s hand is unclear, but the feature is now gone. The episode serves as a reminder that AI tools built on public data still need explicit guardrails—and that user trust is easily lost when consent is treated as an afterthought.

Source: Engadget