Meta has launched Muse Image, an AI tool that automatically enables any public Instagram photo to be used by other users to generate new AI images, sparking immediate backlash from Hollywood talent agencies, performers' unions, and privacy experts who argue the opt-out default violates basic consent principles.

What Exactly Is Muse Image and How Does It Work?

Meta unveiled Muse Image this week as what the company calls "image generation built for your world." The tool allows Instagram users to describe what they want in conversational language, and the AI will generate new images by pulling information from any public Instagram photos, including those of other people. Users can blend multiple photos together, add friends into existing photos, or conceptualize entirely new scenarios using someone else's public content as reference material.

The feature is now live on Meta AI's web app and will soon roll out to Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Meta is also planning to launch Muse Video, an AI video generator, though that tool has not yet been released.

What makes this particularly controversial is the default setting. If you have a public Instagram account and are over 18 years old, Muse Image is automatically enabled for your photos. You must actively opt out to prevent others from using your likeness in AI-generated content.

Why Are Privacy Experts and Hollywood So Concerned?

The backlash centers on a fundamental principle: consent. Privacy experts argue that simply because someone shares a photo publicly does not mean they have agreed to have that image remixed, transformed, or used for purposes they never anticipated.

"Just because someone has chosen to share content publicly does not mean they have meaningfully consented to it being remixed, transformed or reused by AI systems," stated Cassandra Mudgway, senior law lecturer at Canterbury University.

Cassandra Mudgway, Senior Law Lecturer, Canterbury University

Andrew Lensen, a senior lecturer in artificial intelligence at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University, went further, calling the approach "entirely unethical." He noted that while Meta's terms and conditions may technically cover this use, most people never read those documents and would be unaware their photos could be used this way.

"Having to 'opt-out' is not an ethically acceptable approach, especially when the vast majority of people will either be unaware or not have the time or headspace to go through and adjust their settings," Lensen explained.

Andrew Lensen, Senior Lecturer in AI, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University

Major talent agency CAA raised formal concerns with Meta on behalf of its clients, emphasizing that artists deserve control over their own likenesses. The performers' union SAG-AFTRA also weighed in, stating that anything less than an explicit opt-in for these uses is "unacceptable".

What Are the Specific Risks?

The concerns extend beyond abstract privacy principles. Experts point to several concrete harms that could result from making likeness-based AI generation so easy and accessible:

• Deepfakes and Impersonation: AI tools that can reuse or transform people's photos make it easier to create convincing impersonations or spread misinformation about a person without their knowledge or consent.
• Disproportionate Harm to Vulnerable Groups: Women and marginalized communities already experience higher levels of online harassment, and expanding AI's access to publicly available content may increase those risks significantly.
• Nonconsensual Sexualized Content: History shows that when AI image generators are integrated into social platforms with loose controls, users quickly exploit them to create inappropriate or abusive content, as happened with X's Grok integration during the 2025 holiday season.

This concern is not theoretical. OpenAI's Sora video tool previously drew outrage in Hollywood after users created deepfake videos of dead celebrities without their estates' consent, prompting OpenAI to add more granular controls and eventually discontinue the tool.

How to Protect Your Instagram Photos From Muse Image?

If you want to prevent your photos from being used by Muse Image, you have several options depending on your preferences and platform:

• Make Your Account Private: Setting your Instagram account to private immediately removes it from Muse Image's reach, though this also limits who can see your posts generally.
• Adjust Sharing and Reuse Settings: Go to Instagram settings, find the "Sharing and reuse" tab, and toggle off the setting that says "Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features." This keeps your account public while opting out of AI use.
• Monitor for Rollout on Other Platforms: Meta has not yet announced whether similar opt-out controls will be available when Muse Image launches on Facebook and other Meta platforms, so users should check settings on those apps as they become available.

According to reporting from Gizmodo, the quickest way to opt out via browser is to access your profile settings and navigate to the sharing and reuse section. On the Instagram smartphone app, users can tap the hamburger menu at the top-right corner of their profile and find the "Sharing and reuse" tab.

What Is Meta's Response to These Concerns?

Meta has defended Muse Image as a tool built "with strong controls and safety guardrails from day one." The company stated that private accounts and accounts belonging to users under 18 are automatically excluded from the tool. Meta also said it has built-in protections to prevent the generation of violent, sexual, or defamatory imagery, and that users can report problematic content for enforcement under Meta's Community Standards.

However, critics argue that these safeguards do not address the core issue: the lack of meaningful consent. Meta's approach follows a familiar Silicon Valley pattern of launching products first and addressing concerns later, leveraging the company's massive scale and the vast trove of content already on its platform to power new AI features.

The broader context matters here. This is not Meta's first time rolling out AI features without explicit user consent, and privacy experts worry that normalizing this practice makes it easier for other companies to follow suit. As AI tools become more capable and more integrated into everyday platforms, the question of who controls your digital likeness and how it can be used is becoming increasingly urgent.