Meta Faces Backlash for AI-Generated Instagram Comments

• Test Feature Details:

  Meta is testing an optional AI tool on Instagram that suggests comments under posts via a pencil icon. Users can tap it to access image-based AI-generated responses like “Great photo shoot location” or “Cute living room setup” (TechCrunch, March 21, 2025).

  • Example: X user Jonah Manzano documented the feature, showing how the AI labels comments with “wrote with Meta AI” and allows users to refresh for more suggestions.

• User Backlash:

  Social media users criticized the test across X (Twitter), Reddit (r/tech, r/advertising), and LinkedIn, calling it a ploy to inflate engagement metrics for advertisers. Reddit comments described the move as “deceptive” and akin to a “dark mirror episode” (referencing Netflix’s dystopian series Black Mirror).

  • Concerns include reduced human connection, AI-driven echo chambers, and fears of “fake bots dominating social media.”
  • Users accused Meta of “fabricating diversity” through AI personas like ‘Liv’ (see Previous AI Controversies).

• Meta’s Response:

  A Meta spokesperson stated the company is testing AI integration in comments, feeds, groups, and search to make experiences “more fun and useful.” The AI comment feature remains optional, though critics argue it normalizes automated interaction.

  • Meta has not confirmed plans for a wider rollout amid backlash.

• Expanded AI Initiatives:

  Meta recently launched AI-powered ad tools, including virtual try-ons for clothing and hyper-personalized targeting, to boost campaign performance. While marketed as innovative, these tools raised concerns about data privacy and manipulative marketing tactics.

• Previous AI Controversies:

  In 2023, Meta introduced AI-generated characters like “Liv” (a “Proud Black queer momma” created by 10 white men, 1 white woman, and 1 Asian male). These were scrapped for being “creepy” but resurfaced in 2024 with plans for expanded AI profiles. Meta executive Connor Hayes stated AI characters would “generate content and interact just like real people.”

  • Users criticized Meta for creating “engineered diversity” through AI personas with detailed bios and identities, despite being developed by non-representative teams.

Why This Matters:

AI-generated Instagram comments and hyper-targeted ads risk eroding trust in online platforms, as users question whether engagement, marketing, and even diversity initiatives are genuine or algorithmically manufactured. Meta’s dual focus on AI-driven comments and ad tools highlights tensions between technological innovation, authentic human communication, and ethical data use. Critics warn of a future where bots dominate interactions, ads exploit personal data, and AI fabricates social diversity, mirroring dystopian narratives like Black Mirror. Growing user distrust signals a potential reckoning for AI’s role in shaping digital spaces.