What is the ‘Goodbye Meta AI Post’? Instagram Scam Message Explained

The Goodbye Meta AI Post hoax on Instagram has scammed many celebrities, with many believing it’s an official message from the social media giant. But how did this scam start and what is it actually about?

Here’s a detailed explainer on Goodbye Meta AI Post and how it doesn’t ensure data privacy.

‘Goodbye Meta AI Post’ Instagram Scam Message Explained

The Goodbye Meta AI scam started at the beginning of September. Numerous celebrities are sharing a viral Instagram story template, reposted by over 500,000 individuals. The story includes an attorney’s statement claiming that if individuals don’t repost it, their personal information and photos will be at risk. This means that Meta will have access to one’s personal data and can use it without the user’s permission.

The statement reads, “Goodbye Meta AI. Please note an attorney has advised us to put this on, failure to do so may result in legal consequences. As Meta is now a public entity all members must post a similar statement. If you do not post at least once it will be assumed you are okay with them using your information and photos.” This made people believe that sharing the story would deny Meta access to their data.

Celebrities including Jessica Chastain, Luke Evans, Julianne Moore, and many more joined this reposting trend in an attempt to safeguard their data. The viral story was eventually deemed false as resharing doesn’t guarantee privacy. Facebook third-party fact-checking partner Lead Stories has also flagged it as made up and false.

Reiterating Meta’s policy about data protection from its past press release, the organization says that Meta uses publicly shared photos and information to train its AI model. However, it doesn’t make use of private photos and personal messages.