Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash

Meta removed an Instagram AI feature that allowed people to generate or modify images by @-mentioning public accounts as references. The company said the tool missed the mark after users, media, and talent agencies raised concerns about consent and potential abuse.

The reversal highlights growing pressure on social platforms to build consent and notification safeguards into generative AI products before launch. It also shows how quickly AI image tools can trigger backlash when they intersect with public photos, identity, and nonconsensual manipulation risks.