Meta's New AI Image Tool Comes with a Catch for Canadians
If you run a public Instagram account in Canada, there's a good chance Meta has already switched on AI permissions for your profile — without asking first. The tech giant confirmed this week that Meta AI permissions are automatically enabled for users with public accounts in several countries, including Canada, and that turning them off requires digging into the app's settings manually.
The permissions relate to Meta's new Muse Image system, a generative AI tool baked into Instagram that can create images based on a user's profile and posted content. It's part of a broader push by Meta to weave AI features directly into its platforms, following similar moves from competitors racing to build out image and video generation tools.
The Feature Meta Just Killed
One element of the rollout didn't survive contact with public criticism. Meta has now scrapped a feature that let users tag other Instagram accounts by username to generate AI images based on that account's profile and posts. Privacy advocates and users alike raised concerns about the potential for misuse — from harmless jokes gone wrong to more serious issues around consent and the creation of images of people who never agreed to be part of the experiment.
Meta hasn't detailed exactly why it pulled the tagging feature, but the backlash appears to have moved fast enough that the company opted to cut it before it became a bigger headache.
Why This Matters for Canadian Users
What hasn't changed is the automatic opt-in for AI permissions tied to public accounts. For Canadians running public Instagram profiles — whether it's a small business, a creator account, or just someone who prefers a public presence — the default setting means Meta's AI systems already have access to that content for image generation purposes unless the user goes in and switches it off.
That detail has drawn criticism from privacy-minded users who argue that opt-out models put the burden on individuals to protect their own data, rather than requiring companies to ask first. It's a familiar tension in the world of AI development: features roll out broadly, and users are left to catch up on what's been switched on in the background.
What You Can Do
For Canadian Instagram users who want to check their exposure, the setting can be found within Instagram's privacy or AI-related settings menu, where permissions toggles control whether an account's content can be used for these generative features. Given how quietly this rolled out, it's worth a quick check regardless of how often you post.
This story comes as Meta continues to expand its AI ambitions across its family of apps, with Muse Image being one of several tools the company has introduced this year aimed at keeping pace with rivals in the generative AI space. Whether more features get walked back as scrutiny grows remains to be seen.
Source: CBC News
