SAG-AFTRA Recommends Members Opt-Out Of Meta’s AI Feature

As Meta‘s new AI image feature sparks privacy concerns, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) is providing tips on how members can protect their image.

In a statement released Thursday by the union, SAG-AFTRA shared instructions on how to “dig into [Instagram‘s] settings” to opt-out of Meta’s newly unleashed Muse Image tool, in order to “protect your likeness.”

“Meta now lets anyone use your Instagram photos in AI images without your consent,” the guild shared in a statement. “SAG-AFTRA recommends that #SagAftraMembers (and all Instagram users) opt-OUT of Meta’s new AI image generation tool, Muse Image. Take action to protect your likeness.”

The post comes after the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) called for Meta to implement guardrails for Muse, despite the behemoth agency rolling out its own AI Vault program to archive its members’ likenesses forever.

“No one’s name, image, likeness, voice, or creative work should be used by any third party, including AI models, without clear, documented consent. True innovation puts creators first: respecting their rights, protecting their livelihoods, and giving them real control, not handing it over to platforms,” a CAA spokesperson said in a statement.

“Artists deserve to decide if and how their likeness and work is used, with consent and the ability to set their own terms,” the agency added. “This means letting creators impose restrictions, monitor usage, and prevent unauthorized endorsements or exploitation. Responsible AI requires clear disclosures and swift removal of unauthorized content. There must be easy ways to spot, track, and take down misuse, and it should be clear when something is AI-generated. CAA believes in the power of new technology, but not at the cost of individuals’ rights or livelihoods. The future of creativity depends on respecting the ownership and autonomy of those who make it possible.”

At its core, a Muse user just needs to tag a public or unprotected IG feed, and it instantly becomes meat for the AI generator to create its own images or “remixes,” as they are sometimes called, after which the images are available online permanently.

Meanwhile, Meta has downplayed the privacy concerns in its own statement. “We built Muse Image with strong controls and safety guardrails from day one. Private accounts and those belonging to users under 18 are automatically excluded and adult users with public accounts can opt-out with just a couple clicks. We will take action against any content that violates our Community Standards,” the company behind Facebook, Instagram and Threads said in a statement.

The use of AI in Hollywood continues to be a hot-button topic. Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA has endorsed the Trump administration’s AI policy framework, which calls for Congress to enact legislation that includes parental controls, intellectual property rights protection, First Amendment protections, expanding AI workforce development, allowing data centers to generate their own power and removing legal barriers that limit AI innovation. 

Last month, Trump signed an executive order for voluntary framework in which AI companies would provide the government with access to new models for a 30-day review period before their release.