Meta will begin to label AI-generated content across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads،
In an effort to increase transparency, Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Threads – is implementing new measures across its platforms. The company recently
made an announcement about its plan to label content created using artificial intelligence (AI) and its goal is to provide users with clearer context about what they see and share on social media.
The company will begin this initiative by tagging images, stating that “in the near future, we will begin adding labels to images created by AI tools on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.” The company is currently working on an automated detection system that can identify commonly used markers for AI-generated content, including watermarks and metadata. Meta's initial focus will be on images, but the long-term goal is also to be able to identify AI-generated
video and audio.
Meta already applies the “Imagined with AI” label to images created with Meta AI, and by working with other industry partners, the company hopes to have the new detection capabilities ready in the coming months for content created outside of it. Meta's own tools. So far, the company has determined that it is capable of labeling images from
Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Adobe, Midjourney and Shutterstock.
However, there is an obstacle when it comes to video and audio. Since the tools that generate this type of content have not yet widely adopted standardized tags, it is difficult for Meta to detect them.
To address this issue, Meta announced plans to launch a new “disclosure and labeling tool,” which will allow users to manually indicate when video and audio content was generated using AI . Users will be required to disclose this information for “photorealistic videos or realistic-sounding audio” that are digitally created or altered, and Meta has the power to impose sanctions on those who fail to comply.
Meta is experimenting with different ways for the new “disclosure and tagging tool” to appear on a post.
There is growing concern about the potential misuse of AI-generated content, leading to pressure for labeling. Deepfakes, for example, have the potential to be incredibly realistic, which can be a concern when it comes to spreading misinformation and manipulating content, especially when it comes to things like the next American elections.
While not a perfect solution, especially when relying on the user to label video and audio, Meta hopes the detection system will be effective and not easily circumvented . It remains to be seen whether Meta's approach will succeed in its goals, but the initiative is certainly sparking an important debate about the responsible use of AI on social media.
