Instagram Reduces Reach of Unverified AI Profiles

Instagram is renaming its label dedicated to profiles featuring AI-generated individuals and plans to penalize non-disclosure with reduced visibility. This measure comes as cases of influencers and artificial health figures are on the rise, and Meta has just agreed to new limits for teenagers following a settlement in the United States.

Meta Removes a Feature and Accepts an $18 Billion Settlement

Meta has removed an AI feature that allowed the generation of images based on the likeness of other individuals, following user protests regarding the use of their public content without explicit consent. Last week, Meta signed an agreement with several U.S. states concerning the impact of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers, totaling $18 billion. Among the measures included in this agreement are a default daily limit of two hours for teenagers, a "night mode" lock, disabling notifications during school hours, and various other restrictions.

New Label and Penalty for Non-Disclosure on Instagram

Instagram announced on Monday that it will change how it labels AI-generated profiles. The term "AI creator" will be replaced with "AI-generated profile," to allow users to more clearly understand when a person featured on a profile has been created or largely modified by artificial intelligence. Accounts that fail to properly disclose this information will see their visibility reduced, while those that adopt the new label will not be penalized for having a profile featuring an AI-generated individual.

What the Label Does Not Cover and the Justification Provided

The label "AI-generated profile" is not required for AI uses that are limited to photo retouching, caption enhancement, graphic creation, or other creative adjustments. Instagram explains that this change responds to user feedback from those who discovered that profiles appearing human featured individuals entirely generated by AI. According to the platform, users want to be informed when a profile presents an AI-generated person.

Recent Examples of Alleged Abuse by Influencers and AI Health Content

Frustration over AI-generated content has increased with the rise of artificial influencers on social media. Earlier this year, the dating app Goose came under investigation after its promotion was handled by a group of male influencers, seemingly created by AI, on Instagram. More than twenty-four such accounts were identified, some having sent private messages to potential users encouraging them to sign up. In July, the New York Times reported spotting several hundred profiles of doctors, healers, and wellness figures generated by AI on social media, promoting supplements or making health claims to users. At the same time, Instagram was criticized for an AI tool that allowed the production of images based on the likeness of other individuals, which sparked negative reactions regarding the use of public content without explicit consent.