Instagram announced it is renaming its existing “AI creator” label to “AI-generated profile” and will begin limiting the reach of accounts that feature AI-generated people without disclosing them. The new label is intended to clearly tell users that the person on a profile was generated or substantially created with AI. Creators who fail to properly label an AI-generated profile could see reduced reach, while those who use the label won’t be penalized. Instagram says the label is not required for routine AI uses such as editing photos, polishing captions, or creating graphics.

The change comes in response to users who have encountered profiles that appeared to belong to real people, only to later discover they were entirely AI-generated. The timing reflects growing frustration over AI-generated content on social media. The article cites examples including a network of apparently AI-generated male influencers promoting the gay dating app Goose on Instagram, as reported by Wired, and hundreds of AI-generated doctors, healers, and wellness personalities on social media making health claims, as reported by The New York Times in July.

This announcement follows Instagram facing backlash over an AI tool that let users generate images using other people’s likenesses without explicit opt-in, which Meta later removed. Separately, Meta recently reached an $18 billion settlement with U.S. states over allegations concerning the effects of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers, agreeing to introduce a default two-hour daily usage limit for teens, a “Night Mode” block, muted notifications during school hours, and other restrictions.