Meta this week introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that allows anyone to generate AI-created images using public Instagram photos of adult users, unless those users manually turn the setting off.
The feature is part of Muse Image, Meta's new AI image-generation model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs.
It lets users generate personalised AI images by simply tagging a public Instagram username in a prompt. Meta AI then uses that account's public photos as visual references to create entirely new images.
For example, someone could ask Meta AI to generate an image of a public Instagram user "walking on the moon," "wearing a superhero costume", or "at a beach in Zanzibar."
The system uses publicly available photos from that person's Instagram account to create the AI-generated image without requiring their permission each time.
The rollout has sparked privacy concerns because public Instagram accounts belonging to adults are automatically included by default.
Who is affected?
The setting currently applies only to:
• Adult Instagram users
• Public Instagram accounts
Private accounts are not included in the feature, and users under the age of 18 are excluded.
Meta also says account owners will not receive a notification if someone uses their public Instagram content to generate an AI image.
How to stop Meta from using your Instagram photos
Users who do not want their public photos used for AI-generated images can opt out without making their account private.
Follow these steps:
1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Tap your profile.
3. Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner.
4. Open Settings and activity.
5. Scroll down to Sharing and reuse.
6. Find Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta.
7. Turn off both Posts and Reels.
Once disabled, people will no longer be able to use your future public posts, profile photo and reels to generate AI images through Meta's AI features.
But turning the setting off does not erase AI images that may already have been created before you opted out.
According to reports, the setting only affects future use of your content. Any AI-generated images created before you disabled the feature are not automatically removed.
As the feature expands globally, eligible Instagram users in Kenya with public adult accounts are expected to receive it automatically through app updates.
However, because the rollout is phased, some users may not yet see the new Sharing and reuse settings. Meta says the opt-out controls are being released alongside Muse Image and may take time to appear on every account.
Why privacy advocates are concerned
The launch has prompted criticism from privacy experts, who argue that AI features capable of generating images based on someone's appearance should require explicit opt-in consent rather than being enabled by default.
Critics also note that many creators, businesses and journalists rely on public Instagram accounts to reach audiences, meaning switching to a private profile is not a practical solution. Instead, they must locate and disable the setting themselves if they do not want their public content used in AI image generation.
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