Instagram announced in August 2026 that it will restrict the reach of accounts featuring AI-generated people that fail to disclose that fact, and is renaming its existing disclosure label to make the policy clearer.
The platform is replacing its “AI creator” label with a new “AI-generated profile” label, which Instagram says is intended to signal more clearly that the person featured on a profile was generated or substantially created with AI. Accounts that do not apply the label when required could see their reach reduced, while those that do comply will not be penalized simply for featuring an AI-generated subject.
The label is not intended to apply to all AI use. Instagram specified that people who use AI to edit photos, refine captions, create graphics, or make other creative adjustments do not need to use the AI-generated profile label.
Instagram said the change was prompted by user complaints about encountering profiles that appeared to belong to real people, only to later discover the person was entirely AI-generated. “They want to know when a profile features an AI-generated person,” the company wrote in its announcement.
The move comes as AI-generated influencer accounts have become more prevalent across social media. Earlier in 2026, a Wired investigation found more than two dozen apparently AI-generated male influencer accounts on Instagram promoting a gay dating app called Goose, with some accounts reportedly messaging users directly to encourage sign-ups. Separately, a New York Times report from July found hundreds of AI-generated doctors and wellness personalities on social media promoting supplements and making health claims.
The announcement also follows recent controversy for Meta more broadly. The company previously removed an AI tool that let users generate images using other people’s likenesses after public objections. Last week, Meta reached an $18 billion settlement with U.S. states over allegations related to the effects of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers, which includes new default usage limits and other restrictions for teen users.
Source: TechCrunch