Meta Faces Backlash Over AI Profiles

Meta is under fire after a series of its AI-generated profiles on Instagram and Facebook resurfaced, sparking backlash and confusion.

The controversy began following an interview with Meta executive Connor Hayes in the Financial Times, where he outlined plans for AI character profiles that “exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do.”

Hayes emphasized these profiles would have bios, photos, and the ability to generate and share AI-driven content. Although Hayes’ remarks suggested new initiatives, the profiles currently going viral are older creations from a 2023 experiment, says The Guardian.

These AI-generated personas, which include “Liv,” a “proud Black queer momma of 2,” and “Carter,” a self-proclaimed relationship coach, stopped posting nearly a year ago. Many of these profiles were deleted after receiving little user engagement, though some, such as Liv, remained active with limited chat functionality, as noted by 404Media.

Here’s one of the AI-generated profiles Meta is testing out: pic.twitter.com/qc1vU7lZRP

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 3, 2025

The rediscovery of these accounts has reignited concerns about the role of AI on social media. Screenshots of interactions with Liv revealed problematic responses, including her admission that no Black creators were involved in her development—an oversight critics called glaring given her identity.

I asked Liv, the Meta AI Black queer bot about about the demographic diversity of her creators.

 

And how they expect to improve “representation” without Black people.

 

This was the response.

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— Karen Attiah (@karenattiah.bsky.social) 3 January 2025 at 12:14

Another issue arose as users reported being unable to block the accounts, a problem Meta spokesperson Liz Sweeney attributed to a technical bug, as reported by The Guardian.

Sweeney clarified that the profiles were part of a 2023 experiment and were managed by human moderators. Following the renewed attention, Meta confirmed the accounts were being removed to address technical issues, as reported by The Guardian.

Meta also created profiles such as “Grandpa Brian,” a Black retired businessman, and “Carter,” a dating coach. The rediscovery of these accounts sparked outrage across platforms like X, Bluesky, and Threads, according to NBC News.

The profiles have been widely criticized for epitomizing the type of AI spam users already disdain on Meta’s platforms, as noted by 404Media. NBC News added that on Threads, some users reacted to the discovery of the characters by urging others to report, block, or avoid interacting with them to prevent Meta from gathering additional training data for its AI models

As of publication, Meta has deleted all 28 AI profiles introduced in September 2023, including both celebrity and non-celebrity personas, as noted by Mashable.

The Guardian notes that Hayes’ vision of allowing users to create their own AI profiles has also drawn skepticism. While current Meta guidelines suggest character ideas such as a “loyal bestie” or “relationship coach,” users remain wary of potential misuse.

For instance, a user-created “therapist” bot offering guidance raised questions about the accuracy and appropriateness of its advice.

The Verge noted that chatbot services like Character.ai have gained popularity over the past year as users seek digital companions or ways to pass the time. However, AI companies are also facing lawsuits alleging they put users, including children, at risk.

everything about this new Meta AI bot is so dystopian but for me the AI-generated images of nonexistent donated coats is up there

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— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes.bsky.social) 3 January 2025 at 10:58