Online for only a few days and then taken offline! Privacy controversy ignites public opinion. Meta (META.US) urgently halts the Muse Image feature.

Meta Platforms (META.US) has stopped an artificial intelligence (AI) tool named "Muse Image" that was introduced earlier last week. The tool allowed users to generate AI images by tagging public Instagram accounts, but it received widespread criticism due to privacy concerns. Meta stated: "We have heard feedback from users that 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 posted content could be referenced in this way." Meta made this decision just days after launching Muse Image. The product was the first image generation model introduced by Meta Superintelligence Labs and integrated into Meta AI Chat Siasun Robot & Automation. However, since its launch on last Tuesday, the feature quickly sparked strong public backlash. At the launch, Muse Image defaulted to 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 the feature last week. A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA stated: "Encouraging such behavior in the absence of consent for digital surrogates is clearly not wise, given the well-known risks involved." The spokesperson also welcomed Meta's decision to discontinue the feature, saying: "We appreciate their decision to stop offering it, as it is a responsible move."