July 8, 2026 – Meta is facing a fierce backlash just hours after quietly launching Muse Image, a generative AI tool that allows users to create manipulated photos using other people’s public Instagram profile pictures—without notifying the person whose image is being used. The feature, now live in the United States via the Meta AI app, WhatsApp, and Instagram Stories, has drawn sharp condemnation from privacy advocates and regulators who warn it could fuel a new wave of non-consensual AI-generated abuse.
“This is an obvious recipe for disaster,” said Donald Campbell, advocacy director at tech justice nonprofit Foxglove. “We’ve already seen a catalogue of harms from non-consensual AI-altered images on social platforms just in the past year. It is hard to see why Mark Zuckerberg thinks facilitating yet more of this creepy image manipulation is a good idea.” Privacy International echoed those concerns, telling the BBC the feature is “the latest sign AI companies see people’s images and data as raw material to be exploited.”
Muse Image joins a crowded field of text-to-image generators, but its direct integration with Instagram’s public photo library sets it apart—and raises unique risks. Users can type a simple prompt, like “make it look like I’m driving a car,” and the tool will blend the user’s own photo with public images from other accounts. Meta insists that individuals can opt out, even with a public profile, by navigating to Instagram’s settings menu, selecting “Sharing and Reuse,” and toggling off “Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features at Meta.” However, critics argue that the opt-out mechanism is buried and that most users will never know their image is being scraped.
The rollout comes as regulators intensify scrutiny of AI-generated imagery. Britain’s Ofcom is currently investigating X (formerly Twitter) over its Grok AI tool’s role in creating and sharing non-consensual altered images of real people. In the U.S., lawmakers have introduced several bills targeting deepfake abuse, but no federal law currently requires explicit consent for AI training data. One user on X summed up the sentiment: “Pulling real users into generated photos without explicit consent is a privacy landmine waiting to detonate.”
Meta defended the feature in a blog post, stating Muse Image uses “advanced reasoning to understand complex prompts, seamlessly blending multiple photos into high-quality creations you can download and share anywhere.” The company added that the tool is free for “everyday creation,” with heavier users directed to subscription plans. But as the outcry grows, Meta may face its most significant test yet over how far it can push AI personalization before crossing the line into exploitation.