It began as a standard product launch. Then it quickly became a public relations crisis. Now the feature is gone.

On Friday Meta announced that a new capability allowing users to create AI images from public Instagram posts is no longer available. The tool was revealed on Tuesday when Meta introduced Muse Image its first image generation model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. Muse Image can be accessed through Meta AI.

Our goal was to deliver a helpful creative tool and let people decide whether their public content could be used in this manner. We listened to concerns that the feature fell short so it has been removed Meta stated in an Instagram blog post.

Other Muse Image options such as direct photo editing remain available.

Instagram users quickly criticized the feature after launch. They highlighted privacy risks and the potential for deepfake material. Tips on how to opt out spread rapidly on platforms like X and Reddit.

Privacy experts including Apar Gupta founding director of the Internet Freedom Foundation condemned Meta in a video posted on X on Friday.

Just because Meta owns one of the largest social media platforms and people feel compelled to use it does not excuse repeated violations of consent and privacy Gupta said.

Entertainment unions also raised objections. SAG-AFTRA which represents around 160000 media professionals urged members to opt out of the feature.

In a statement to Business Insider SAG-AFTRA noted that anything short of a clear and visible opt-in for these uses of Instagram images is unacceptable and a serious misjudgment of public concerns over the risks involved.

The union welcomed Meta decision to end the feature. With the dangers of nonconsensual digital replicas widely understood a tool that promoted such use was ill advised. We appreciate its removal as the responsible action the union said.

Creative Artists Agency also voiced strong criticism. No one name image likeness voice or creative work should be used by any third party including AI models without explicit documented consent the agency said in a statement. True progress respects creators rights protects their work and gives them genuine control rather than transferring it to platforms.

AI remains a major concern for entertainers who fear unauthorized use of their likeness voice or signature phrases. Figures such as Matthew McConaughey and Jeremy Clarkson have secured trademarks to safeguard their images from AI misuse.

Meta is not alone in facing such reactions. OpenAI encountered similar criticism after launching Sora 2 an AI video generation platform in 2025. The service initially permitted content with trademarked characters prompting complaints from studios including Studio Ghibli. Despite a later partnership with Disney Sora 2 was shut down in March.