An Instagram account under the handle miagoth_ recently circulated an AI-generated image of actress Mia Goth. The post featured the actress wearing a shirt with the text MY EX IS MY BIGGEST FAN, accompanied by music. Despite the account being labeled as a fan page, it held a verified blue checkmark, which led many users and media outlets to treat the content as authentic.
Representatives for Mia Goth stated that the actress does not maintain any social media presence. They filed multiple complaints with Instagram requesting the removal of the account, citing the dissemination of counterfeit images. The account, which had over one million followers, was removed from the platform as of Tuesday morning.
Meta began selling blue checkmarks several years ago, allowing accounts to obtain verification badges regardless of whether they represent the actual person depicted. While Meta labels some photorealistic AI videos, the company currently does not require labels for AI-generated still images of real people.
Meta executives have indicated that AI-generated content will remain a central component of user engagement on their platforms. This incident follows other high-profile concerns regarding the unauthorized use of likenesses, including cases involving Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swift in 2024.
