TheModelDesk

Meta suspended a feature of its Muse Image tool on July 10, just three days after launching it on Instagram. The feature had allowed users to generate AI images by referencing other users' profiles through simple mentions of their Instagram handles. While users can still create and edit images with Muse Image, they can no longer incorporate other people's likenesses into their generated content.

The suspension followed intense backlash centered on privacy and consent mechanisms. Meta had deployed Muse Image using an opt-out model, automatically enrolling all Instagram users in the system unless they manually disabled it through account settings under "Sharing and Reuse." This approach drew immediate criticism from public figures and labor organizations.

Celebrities including Hannah Einbinder and the SAG-AFTRA union mobilized their audiences against the feature, emphasizing the unacceptability of any mechanism other than explicit opt-in consent for such image usage. SAG-AFTRA stated the approach represented a "complete misunderstanding of public opinion regarding the obvious dangers" of this type of functionality. The criticism reflected broader concerns about synthetic deepfakes, particularly following the proliferation of non-consensual deepfake pornography on the X platform during winter 2025.