Outcry as Meta lets users make AI images from public Instagram profile pics<br>Skip to content

Home<br>News<br>US & Canada<br>UK<br>UK Politics<br>England<br>N. Ireland<br>N. Ireland Politics<br>Scotland<br>Scotland Politics<br>Wales<br>Wales Politics<br>Africa<br>Asia<br>China<br>India<br>Australia<br>Europe<br>Latin America<br>Middle East<br>In Pictures<br>BBC InDepth<br>BBC Verify<br>Football 2026<br>Sport<br>Business<br>World of Business<br>Technology of Business<br>NYSE Opening Bell<br>Technology<br>Artificial Intelligence<br>Intelligence Revolution<br>AI v the Mind<br>Tech Now<br>Health<br>Culture<br>Film & TV<br>Music<br>Art & Design<br>Style<br>Books<br>Entertainment News<br>Arts<br>Arts in Motion<br>Travel<br>Destinations<br>Africa<br>Antarctica<br>Asia<br>Australia and Pacific<br>Caribbean & Bermuda<br>Central America<br>Europe<br>Middle East<br>North America<br>South America<br>World’s Table<br>Culture & Experiences<br>Adventures<br>The SpeciaList<br>Earth<br>Science<br>Natural Wonders<br>Climate Solutions<br>Sustainable Business<br>Green Living<br>Audio<br>Podcast Categories<br>Radio<br>Audio FAQs<br>Video<br>BBC Maestro<br>Discover the World<br>Live<br>Live News<br>Live Sport

Site search

Home

News

Sport

Football 2026

Business

Technology

Health

Culture

Arts

Travel

Earth

Audio

Video

Live

Weather<br>Newsletters

Outcry as Meta lets users make AI images from public Instagram profile pics

1 hour agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on Google

Laura CressTechnology reporter

Meta

An AI-altered image generated using Muse Image

Meta is facing a backlash over its new AI tool Muse Image, which can generate pictures using other people's profile pictures without telling them.

It is one of many text-to-image tools publicly available, which as the name suggests can create pictures from a few lines of simple written text.

Muse Image is available through the Meta AI app and web browser, as well as on WhatsApp and in Instagram Stories for US users.

While Meta says users can opt out of their image being used even with a public account, Donald Campbell, advocacy director at tech justice non-profit Foxglove told the BBC it was an "obvious recipe for disaster".

"We've already seen a catalogue of harms from non-consensual AI-altered images on social platforms just in the past year," he said.

"It is hard to see why Mark Zuckerberg thinks facilitating yet more of this creepy image manipulation is a good idea."

The feature is likely to face heightened scrutiny as regulators and campaigners raise concerns about AI-generated images, with Ofcom currently investigating X over Grok's role in creating and sharing non-consensual AI-altered images of real people.

Privacy International also criticised the feature, telling the BBC it was "the latest sign AI companies see people's images and data as raw material to be exploited".

"Pulling real users into generated photos without explicit consent is a privacy landmine waiting to detonate," one user wrote on X.

Meta said a dedicated setting, separate from account privacy controls, allows users to opt out even if they have a public account.

To do so, users must go to Instagram's settings menu, select "Sharing and Reuse" and switch off "Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features at Meta" for posts and reels.

Yet another image generator

There are many tools on the market now which can make images with AI from text, so Meta is already entering a crowded market.

But its use of Instagram is new - and powerful.

To try it out, I asked Muse AI to make it look like I was driving a car and it happily did so, with interesting results.

Meta

It certainly looks like I'm driving - though the AI failed to notice the steering wheel goes on the right in a UK car

In a blog post covering the new announcement, Meta said the tool uses "advanced reasoning to understand complex prompts, seamlessly blending multiple photos into high-quality creations you can download and share anywhere".

The company said users can also choose from presets and suggested prompts to "spark ideas", as well as sketch edits directly onto images.

While the tool is free for "everyday creation", Meta said heavier users can access additional usage through one of its subscription plans.

The company added Muse Image will soon be available on Facebook and Messenger, and through another tool where it can be used by advertisers.

A video-generation version is reportedly in development.

Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.

Regulator contacts Meta over workers watching intimate AI glasses videos

Smart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than ever

Meta settles Cambridge Analytica scandal for $725m

Meta<br>Artificial intelligence<br>Social media

Related

India orders Meta to remove ads promoting child sexual abuse

Instagram running ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India, BBC finds

Meta glasses wearers hit with paywall to use built-in feature

More from the BBC

4 hrs ago

Rogue landlord used AI to fake smoke detector

Mindaugas Palaima illegally sublet the properties and converted them...