Meta has opened a new door in its relationship with Instagram users, after it began making public account photos and videos available for use in generating AI images unless the user manually disabled this option.

According to “Wired Middle East” magazine, the change came with the launch of Meta’s new image model called “Muse Image,” which is deeply integrated into the Instagram app and allows users to create AI-generated images based on public account content by simply mentioning the account name in the text prompt.

Automatic Option

The issue that has sparked controversy is not just about a new tool for generating images, but also how it is activated. Public accounts on Instagram are automatically included in this system, and users must object if they want to prevent others from using their photos or videos to create new AI content. According to Wired, public accounts are set to be used in this feature by default unless the owners change the settings themselves.

Meta believes that the feature gives users a more personalized way to create invitations, designs, and creative content. However, the flip side of this ease is the privacy question: To what extent does the user remain the owner of their photos when they become material for reconfiguration within AI tools?

No Notification

The issue becomes more sensitive because the user will not receive a notification when their content is used to generate an AI image. According to Instagram’s Help Center, others may be able to create content using your posts through Meta’s AI features if your account is public and settings are enabled. Disabling the option later or making the account private prevents future uses, but it does not delete previously generated images.

Here lies a major gap between technology and explicit consent. The user doesn't press an approval button before their photos enter this path; instead, they discover that they need to search for settings to get out of it. The Verge reported that the feature can be disabled within the Instagram app by going into the profile, then the menu, then the “Sharing and Reuse” section, and turning off options related to allowing others to create content or reuse posts and clips.

Privacy concerns

This change comes at a time when major tech companies are racing to integrate AI into every corner of daily applications. A photo that was once just a fleeting post, personal memory, or content creator material could now become an entry point for generating new images and perhaps scenes that the owner did not capture or approve.

Business Insider reports that public accounts are included in the feature by default, and posts, clips, and profile pictures may be used to create AI-generated images unless users opt out. However, content already created before the objection will not be deleted.

The concerns don’t stop with regular users. Content creators, photographers, artists, and owners of personal brands face a more difficult question: Is an image public enough to be reused in a new AI-generated image? What is the line between inspiration, remixing, and exploitation of digital identity?

New boundaries

Meta says these tools are part of a more personalized and creative future that allows users to produce images ready for publication faster. But moving from “publication” to “regeneration” changes the meaning of public appearance on platforms. A public account no longer just means others can view and interact with images, but it may also mean they enter into a wider system for creating new images.

Therefore, opting out doesn’t seem like a small technical detail, but rather a fundamental right in an era where AI tools are advancing faster than users’ awareness of their consequences. A simple step within settings could be the difference between an image they willingly publish and one created by an algorithm using their name or features.

Simple protection

For those who want to disable the feature, they can go into the Instagram app, then their profile, then the menu at the top of the screen, and then the “Sharing and Reuse” section. From there, you can turn off permission for others to use your posts and clips with Meta’s AI features. Making an account private remains a more drastic option for those who want to limit the use of their public content.