Meta has removed its newly announced AI feature that allowed users to alter images from public Instagram after it faced strong criticism over privacy concerns. The company admitted that it “missed the mark” and confirmed that the feature is “no longer available.” The feature was introduced as part of Muse Image, Meta’s new AI image generation tool. Instagram’s parent company rolled out the tool earlier this week. Keep reading for the details.
The Muse Image feature allowed people to use the Meta AI chatbot to create fake or altered images using content posted on Instagram. Users could tag public Instagram accounts and use content from those profiles to generate new AI images. The person whose content was used may not have known about it or given permission.
The biggest concern was that public Instagram accounts were included in the feature by default. Users had to opt out if they did not want their content or likeness to be used.
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Following the backlash, Meta has decided to remove the feature. The company said, “Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public content could be referenced in this way.” “We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available.”
The decision to remove the feature has been welcomed by Hollywood union Sag-Aftra. The union described Meta’s decision as a “win,” according to BBC. Earlier, Sag-Aftra had asked its members and all Instagram users to take steps to protect their likeness. The union said Meta had made an “utter miscalculation of public sentiment regarding the obvious dangers and harms inherent in such use.”
Privacy International, a London-based human rights group, also criticised the feature. The organisation told the BBC that it was “the latest sign AI companies see people’s images and data as raw material to be exploited.”
While Meta has pulled the Muse Image following user feedback, the situation highlights growing concerns around AI tools, privacy and how companies use people’s online content.
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