Meta has enabled anyone to use public Instagram photos in AI-generated images unless the user actively disables the feature.
The rollout
Meta released Muse Image on Tuesday. It is a new model designed to compete with OpenAI‘s GPT Images 2.0 and Google’s Nano Banana 2. The tool integrates directly into the Instagram app. Public profiles are now automatically included as source material for generative AI remixes. Users can tag an account in a prompt, and Meta AI will generate an image using that person’s likeness.
Meta describes the function as a method to personalise generations with real people. The company states that tagging a username allows the system to build a visual ready for posting, whether for a custom event invitation or a collaborative creative concept.
How to opt out
Users wishing to stop their content from being used without switching to a private account must change specific settings. Open the Instagram app, tap your profile, then select the three lines in the top-right corner. Scroll to the Sharing and reuse tab. A section titled Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta contains toggles for Posts and Reels.
When I checked my personal account on Tuesday afternoon, the settings had not yet been updated to include this new language.
Instagram’s help centre notes that people may create content using your photos if your account remains public and on default settings. An archived version of this page from 2025 did not contain similar wording focused on AI.
Turning off the toggle or switching to a private account stops new generations. It does not remove images already created with your content.
Lack of notification
Users may be unaware when their images are being remixed. The help page states: “You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta.” The absence of a notification when someone uses your likeness seems like the most significant issue.
Like Google Search storing media uploads from reverse image searches to train its AI, companies increasingly require consumers to opt out of data usage rather than opting in. If you want to prevent further generations based on your Instagram photos and videos, you should switch off the toggle immediately.
