Instagram is tightening its rules around AI-generated profiles, introducing new labeling requirements and reducing the reach of accounts that feature AI-generated people without disclosing it. The Meta-owned platform announced the update on Monday, framing it as a response to growing user frustration with lifelike accounts that turn out to be artificial.
The core change involves renaming the platform’s existing “AI creator” label to “AI-generated profile.” Instagram says the new wording is designed to make the disclosure clearer, signaling to users that the person featured on a profile was generated or substantially created using artificial intelligence.
How the New Labeling Policy Works
Under the updated approach, creators who fail to properly label an AI-generated profile risk having their reach reduced. Those who do apply the new label, however, will not face penalties simply for using an AI-generated person as the subject of their account.
The label is not intended to cover every use of AI. Instagram clarified that people who rely on AI to edit photos, refine captions, produce graphics, or make similar creative adjustments do not need to add the AI-generated profile label. The distinction targets accounts built around synthetic personas rather than routine creative tools.
Instagram said the update stems partly from users who encountered profiles that appeared to belong to real individuals, only to discover the person was entirely AI-generated. The company noted that as generative AI becomes a larger part of how people create content, users have expressed a desire to know when a profile features an AI-generated person.
A Response to Rising AI Influencer Concerns
The move arrives amid mounting concern over AI influencers across social platforms. Earlier this year, a network of apparently AI-generated male influencers promoted the dating app Goose on Instagram, with more than two dozen accounts identified. Some reportedly contacted potential users through direct messages to encourage sign-ups.
Health and wellness content has raised similar alarms. In July, hundreds of AI-generated doctors, healers, and wellness personalities were reported across social media, promoting supplements or making health claims directly to users.
Meta’s Broader Regulatory Pressures
The announcement follows earlier backlash over an Instagram AI tool that let users generate images using other people’s likenesses. Users objected to their public content being used without an explicit opt-in, and Meta subsequently removed the feature.
Last week, Meta reached an EUR 16 billion settlement with U.S. states over allegations concerning the effects of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers. As part of the agreement, Meta will roll out a default two-hour daily usage limit for teens across both platforms, a “Night Mode” block, muted notifications during school hours, and additional restrictions.
Source
Image: techcrunch.com
