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Updated October 2026: Meta removed the Muse Image feature that let people reference public Instagram accounts on July 10, 2026, three days after launch. Here's what happened and the settings still worth checking.
What is Muse Image?
On July 7, 2026, Meta launched Muse Image, the first image model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. You describe what you want in plain language, start from a preset, or upload your own photos and mark up edits right on the image. You can download results or share them to your feed, Stories and chats. It runs in the Meta AI app, powers more than 30 AI effects in Instagram Stories, and works in WhatsApp chats with Meta AI in some countries. Meta says Facebook, Messenger and its Advantage+ ad tools are next.
What went wrong
At launch, anyone could @-mention a public Instagram account and use that account's photos as the reference for a new image. Adults with public profiles were included by default, and Meta didn't tell you when someone used yours. To get out, you had to find the opt-out yourself.
The backlash was quick. SAG-AFTRA called it an "utter miscalculation of public sentiment" and said anything short of a clear opt-in was unacceptable. CAA raised concerns with Meta directly. On July 10, Meta added a note to its announcement saying it had "heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it's no longer available."
What it still means for you
Turning the setting off never deleted images people had already made from your posts, and Meta hasn't said it removed them. A likeness built from your photos can still turn up in impersonation scams.
If you're a photographer, illustrator or designer, your Instagram feed is your public portfolio. This episode showed how fast a platform can change what it does with public work, and that the default is usually "on."
The setting to check now
It takes a minute and limits how other people can reuse your posts inside Meta's apps.
- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Tap the ☰ menu (Settings and activity).
- Tap Sharing and reuse.
- Under "Allow people to create with and reuse your content," turn off Posts and Reels.
Menu names can vary by app version and country. Making your account private gives you the most control, but for most working photographers that defeats the point of being on Instagram.
See where your images end up
Instagram settings only cover Meta's apps. Pixsy Monitor scans the web 24/7 and finds exact copies of your photos and edited versions, like crops and filtered copies. You can import straight from Instagram, and the free plan covers 500 images. If a business is using your work commercially without a license, you can submit a case for free. No win, no fee.
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