Meta incorrectly tags original photos with 'Made with AI' label
What's the story
Meta has drawn criticism for inaccurately tagging photos with a "Made with AI" label on Instagram.
The issue came to light in May when users and photographers reported that their photos, which were not created using AI, were erroneously tagged.
A notable example involved a photo of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament.
It is important to note that this AI label is only visible on mobile apps and not on web platforms.
Impact of mislabeling
Basic editing should not warrant "Made with AI" label
Photographers have voiced concern over Meta's mislabeling, arguing that simple editing should not warrant the "Made with AI" label.
Former White House photographer Pete Souza experienced this issue firsthand when one of his photos was incorrectly tagged.
Souza suggested to TechCrunch that a change in Adobe's cropping tool's functionality might be triggering Meta's algorithm to attach the incorrect label.
He stated, "What's annoying is that the post forced me to include the 'Made with AI' even though I unchecked it."
Company response
Meta remains silent on allegations
Despite the growing controversy, Meta has not responded to allegations or questions about the incorrect labeling of photos.
In a February blog post, the company explained its methodology for detecting AI labels, stating, "We're building industry-leading tools that can identify invisible markers at scale — specifically, the 'AI generated' information in the C2PA and IPTC technical standards."
However, this explanation has not addressed photographers' concerns about their non-AI created photos being mislabeled.
Debate
AI labeling causes confusion about the extent of involvement
PetaPixel reported that Meta seems to be applying the "Made with AI" label when photographers use tools like Adobe's Generative AI Fill to eliminate objects.
This has sparked a debate among photographers, with some suggesting that any use of AI tools should be disclosed.
However, Meta does not currently provide separate labels to indicate if a photo was edited using a tool or created with AI, leading to confusion about the extent of AI involvement in a photo.
Labeling inconsistencies
Inconsistencies amid increased scrutiny
Interestingly, numerous photos on Meta's platforms that are clearly AI-generated have not been labeled as such by the company's algorithm.
This inconsistency comes at a time when social media companies, including Meta, are under increased scrutiny to correctly handle AI-generated content.
The issue is particularly pertinent with the upcoming US elections, where accurate labeling of content could play a crucial role in information dissemination and public perception.