Few of us are under the illusion that we own the content we post on Instagram, but we do have a say in how that content is presented: we can choose the photos and videos we share, the captions that appear (or don’t appear) on each post, as well as whether or not we include the location from which the image was taken or shared. We may not control the platform, but we do control the content of our posts, unless those posts are found on search engines like Google.
As 404 Media reports, it appears Instagram is experimenting with AI-generated SEO headlines for users’ posts, without input or permission from those users. Take this post for example: Author Jeff VanderMeer uploaded a short video of rabbits eating a banana to his Instagram. The video was posted as is: there were no captions, location tags, or any other public information. It’s just a few rabbits biting.
Instagram, however, took it upon themselves to add a title to the post, at least when you come across it through Google. Rather than displaying a link containing Jeff’s Instagram account and some metadata about the video, the Google entry returns with the following title: “Meet the bunny who loves to eat bananas, a nutritious snack for…” (the rest of the title is cut off here).
VanderMeer was not very pleased with this discovery. He posted a screenshot of the title on Bluesky, writing: “now [Instagram] seems to generate titles [and] titles via AI for things I post… to create [clickbait] For [Google] What don’t I like.”
This wasn’t the only AI-generated title VanderMeer was involved in. This post from the Groton Public Library in Massachusetts, which advertises VanderMeer’s novel Annihilation as the library’s December book group pick, also received the “clickbait” treatment on Google. Much like VanderMeer’s post, the Groton Public Library didn’t include any text in its Instagram post, just an image showing the book. But if you see the post in a Google search, you’ll see the following partial title: “Join Jeff VanderMeer on a thrilling beachside adventure with Mesta…”
404 Media’s Emanuel Maiberg said he confirmed that Instagram was also generating headlines for other users on the platform, all without permission or knowledge. Meta did not respond to 404 Media’s request for comment. (I also requested comment.) Google, on the other hand, returned 404 Media’s posts and confirmed that the headlines did not come from its AI generators, although it did use its own misleading AI-generated headlines on Google Discover. In fact, the company claims that its search engine simply pulls text from Instagram itself. Maiberg found that these titles appear under the title tags of Instagram posts when using Google’s Rich Result Test tool. Digging into the code, Maiberg also discovered AI-generated descriptions for each post, which could be what Instagram ultimately uses to generate headlines.
Why would Instagram generate AI headlines for posts?
I will update this article if I hear any news from Instagram regarding these AI-generated headlines. In the meantime, I can only speculate as to their purpose (assuming Instagram is the one generating these headlines in the first place). And the most likely reason is to boost engagement: Instagram likely wants to increase the visibility of its users’ posts in search, which means giving Google more information to work with. If the user doesn’t provide their own details about the image, Instagram’s AI appears to fill in the blanks, first generating a description and then pasting a “clickable” title.
What do you think of it so far?
However, the results aren’t exactly appealing. Just because Meta AI is capable of grabbing headlines doesn’t mean it’s good at it, or even that it should be, especially when users never consented to the practice in the first place. It would be one thing if Instagram had an option before posting, something like “Generate a headline for me using Meta AI that will appear in search engines for my post.” » Most of us would choose not to, but it would at least be a choice. However, it seems Instagram decided that users like VanderMeer weren’t capable of writing a headline as clever as “Meet the Bunny Who Likes to Eat Bananas.”
The worst part is that the AI doesn’t even accurately describe the messages. This post from the Groton Public Library was only about a book club meeting featuring VanderMeer’s novel, but the title says “Join Jeff VanderMeer,” as if he was going to make an appearance. Not only did Instagram add a title without VanderMeer’s consent, it also spread misinformation about his location. And for what? Additional engagement on Google?
If Instagram wants its posts to appear as headlines on search engines, it needs to include the actual posters in the conversation. As VanderMeer told 404 Media: “If I’m putting content out there, I want to be the one contextualizing it, not a third party.”
