‘They’re using my images to sell products’: Influencers angry with Instagram over the new feature

In April 2011, content creator Julia Berolzheimer launched her Instagram account and blog. More than 15 years later, she occupies a prominent place in a saturated and competitive world. She boasts nearly 1.5 million followers on Instagram and is recognized on Substack as one of the 10 most influential authors in the fashion and beauty category with her “Trade Offs” posts. Therefore, her voice carries weight. That’s why, when she published a lengthy post on Substack last February titled “Instagram Is Stealing Our Content to Sell Knockoffs — and Yours Could Be Next,” it quickly went viral. According to Berolzheimer, the social network had used images of her posted on the platform to sell products associated with her name. Through the “Shop the look” button, the app recommended products similar to those featured in the image. The problem is that these products, linked to the influencer’s image, weren’t recommended by her at all, but by the social network itself. “When followers click on it Instagram serves them product suggestions generated by AI. Not my affiliate links. Not brands I chose. Not products I’d recommend,” she writes. She adds that, while her look consisted of “pieces I’d carefully selected from designers I love and personally support,” the purchase suggestions provided by the social network were “cheap knockoffs and random items from brands I’ve never heard of, attached to my image, under my name.” Berolzheimer, according to her account, was unaware of this until one of her followers alerted her. And she discovered that it wasn’t an isolated incident, but a new feature in testing mode, implemented only for some users. The influencer also points out that if that purchase button generated any sales and any profit, she received nothing: “They’re using my images to sell products for their own profit.”

The truth is that the “Terms and Conditions” that all META users must accept to use its applications state that each image and video belongs to the user, although the company reserves a kind of “permission” to use said content. A separate issue is whether it’s possible to generate advertising or any commercial activity using a third party’s image without their knowledge. And in any case, as lawyer Ofelia Tejerina, specializing in technology law, explains, even if these conditions have been accepted, “the right to revoke consent or object to the processing of data” always remains. Furthermore, Tejerina points out that “these terms and conditions are usually very long sheets of unclear legal text,” and due to this lack of clarity, they can be rendered null and void.

Credibility in the spotlight

Following Berolzheimer’s article, outlets like Bloomberg echoed the controversy, pointing out that this feature—still in an experimental phase—could damage the credibility of content creators. The bulk of Instagram’s revenue comes from advertising, but if users were to become suspicious and question purchases through the platform’s links, it would pose a significant problem for the company. “More than 95% of Instagram’s revenue comes from advertising; therefore, it’s essential for its business model to continue succeeding,” notes Sergio Magán, a digital marketing consultant and expert in Instagram Ads.

The news platform Puck has also addressed the controversy, referring to it as the “Shop the Look” war. An article pointed out that apps like Pinterest have been using similar practices for some time and that, in Meta’s case, they haven’t received any commission on products sold during these tests. The same article reflects on the choice of the button’s name, “Shop the Look,” a concept typical of “influencer culture,” which might lead followers to assume the links direct them to items personally recommended by the creator. While this new tool has generated buzz, in Magán’s words, “Meta (Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp) is constantly running tests that aren’t available to all users. Design or feature changes are rarely communicated. These tests can last from weeks to months; some are discarded, while others end up being implemented globally.” Regarding the “Shop the look” button, he explains that “the big difference is that this time, since these are changes that the audience sees and not the creator, and are linked to commercial interests, the influencers have spoken out.”

The creation of AI-generated recommendations is just one of the many changes this technology is introducing to the app. As Magán says, “Instagram is implementing AI in two layers: a visible one where users can use creative editing tools and an ‘invisible’ one that it uses for algorithmic recommendations or advertising.” One of the complaints about this new tool, aside from attributing commercial content to a personal image without prior notice or permission, is that some of the products suggested by the purchase button are counterfeit. In this sense, social media has long functioned as a platform for buying counterfeit goods, the consumption of which is legitimized by many influencers. Gerard Guiu, general manager of the Association for the Defense of Brands (Andema), comments on the power of social media to encourage the purchase of counterfeit goods: “Consumer habits have changed, and now, with the introduction of tools made possible by AI, everything is becoming more complicated. Tools like the ‘Shop the Look’ button, which is currently in the testing phase, are not only controversial for the content creators themselves, but they also don’t differentiate between the authentic product and the imitation, so they presumably show alternatives without distinguishing whether it is the legitimate product or not.”

When asked about this new button, META shared the following statement: “This is a limited test in the United States and Canada, designed to help shoppers find products that match their interests when viewing posts or Reels. We are always attentive to market feedback and will continue to do so before launching the next version of this experience.” Therefore, it doesn’t seem like the button will disappear entirely. For some time now, Instagram has focused on creators and performance, emphasizing affiliate programs. When a user buys through an affiliate link, the person who shared that link (for example, a content creator) earns a commission. Just a few weeks ago, the social network implemented the ability to include affiliate links in Reels, something that wasn’t possible until now. With these new initiatives, the company is trying to maintain its relevance against other competitors. According to data collected in the 2026 Social Media Study by Metricool, the social media and advertising management tool, there is a certain saturation surrounding Instagram: “In 2025, Instagram surpassed 3 billion monthly active users (…) The platform continues to expand its capabilities, but so does the difficulty of standing out. Instagram accounts connected to Metricool grew by 64%, posts by 100%, and weekly frequency by 21%. Meanwhile, visibility and engagement indicators show clear signs of saturation. Reach and interactions declined in 2025.” Are we witnessing the decline of the social network that changed the way we present ourselves to the world?

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