Launched for only a few days before being taken offline! Privacy controversy ignites public opinion, Meta urgently halts Muse Image feature
Meta has urgently suspended the AI image generation tool "Muse Image," which was launched only a few days ago due to privacy controversies. This feature allowed users to tag Instagram accounts to generate AI images, but it faced strong public backlash and criticism from unions due to its default automatic inclusion mechanism. Meta responded by stating that it has listened to feedback and that the feature did not meet expectations, hence the service has been halted
According to Zhitong Finance APP, Meta Platforms (META.US) has halted an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called "Muse Image" that was launched earlier last week. This tool allowed users to generate AI images by tagging public Instagram accounts, but it faced widespread criticism due to privacy concerns.
Meta stated, "We have heard user feedback, and this feature did not meet expectations, so it has now been discontinued." The social media giant added, "Our intention was to provide a practical creative tool and allow users to decide whether their publicly shared content could be referenced in this way."
This decision by Meta comes just days after the company launched Muse Image. The product was the first image generation model introduced by Meta Superintelligence Labs and was integrated into the Meta AI chatbot. However, since its launch last Tuesday, the feature quickly sparked strong public backlash.
Muse Image initially employed an Automatic Opt-In mechanism for all platform users. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) advised its members and all Instagram users to Opt Out of this feature last Thursday. A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson stated, "Given the well-known risks associated with digital replicas without consent, a feature that encourages such behavior is clearly unwise." The spokesperson also welcomed Meta's decision to take down the feature, stating, "We appreciate its discontinuation; this is a responsible approach."
