Instagram announced Monday that it will change the way it labels AI-generated profiles and begin limiting the reach of accounts that silently feature AI-generated people.
The platform announced it would rename its existing “AI creator” label to “AI-generated profile,” which Instagram says will make disclosures easier to understand. The new label is intended to communicate to users that the person featured in their profile is AI-generated or substantially created.
Under the new policy, creators who don’t properly label their AI-generated profiles could see their reach reduced. Creators using the new label, on the other hand, won’t be penalized just for having an AI-generated person as the subject of their profile.
Additionally, this label does not cover all uses of AI. According to Instagram, people who use AI to edit photos, refine captions, create graphics, or make other creative adjustments are not required to use AI-generated profile labels.
Instagram says the change is part of its response to users who stumble upon a profile that looks like a real person, only to later discover that the person was completely generated by AI.
“As generative AI becomes a bigger part of how people create, we’ve heard stories of people not liking seeing profiles that look human, only to find out later that the person being featured was generated by AI,” Instagram wrote. “They want to know when an AI-generated person will appear on their profile.”
The timing is remarkable. As AI influencers become more common across social media platforms, dissatisfaction with AI-generated content is growing.
For example, earlier this year, gay dating app Goose was the subject of a Wired investigation after an apparently AI-generated network of male influencers promoted the app on Instagram. Wired found more than 20 accounts that appeared to feature AI influencers, some of which reportedly contacted potential users through direct messages and encouraged them to sign up.
Health and wellness content is another example of particular concern. In July, The New York Times reported that it found hundreds of AI-generated doctors, therapists, and wellness personalities on social media promoting supplements and making health claims to users.
The announcement comes after Instagram faced backlash over an AI tool that allows users to generate images using other people’s likenesses. Users objected to Instagram’s public content being used without explicit opt-in. Meta has since removed the feature.
Last week, Meta Inc. reached an $18 billion settlement with U.S. states over claims related to Facebook and Instagram’s influence on children and adolescents. As part of the agreement, Meta will implement a default two-hour daily limit on Facebook and Instagram for teens, a “night mode” block, muting notifications during school hours, and other restrictions.
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