07/11/2026
We've seen a lot of posts over the last few days telling everyone to immediately turn off Instagram's Reuse Content setting because of AI. Before you flip the switch one way or the other, it's worth understanding what the setting actually does.
First, let's clear up one of the biggest misconceptions.
This setting does not determine who owns your copyright. You still own your photographs and videos. What it controls is whether your public Instagram content can be reused within Meta's ecosystem by other users and, more recently, by certain Meta AI creation features.
If you leave Reuse Content ON, you're allowing things like:
• Remixing your Reels.
• Using your content in templates and creative sequences.
• Sharing your public content into new Reels and Stories (depending on your other sharing settings).
• Certain Meta AI features referencing your public posts and Reels when generating new images.
If you turn it OFF, you're preventing future reuse through these features. Other users won't be able to build new content from your posts using Instagram's reuse tools, and eligible future posts and Reels won't be available to supported Meta AI creation features. One important thing to know is that changing the setting isn't retroactive. It doesn't remove content that has already been remixed or reused before you changed it.
So...should you turn it off?
Like most things in our industry, there isn't a universal answer.
If you're a creator focused on maximizing reach, engagement, discoverability, and community participation, leaving it ON may align with your goals. Reuse has become part of how content spreads across social platforms.
If you're a professional photographer, illustrator, designer, or artist whose work is your product, the equation changes. You may prefer tighter control over how your work is used. The same goes for anyone photographing clients whose privacy is an important part of the experience. Those creators may decide turning it OFF better aligns with how they want their work represented.
Neither decision is inherently right or wrong. They're simply different business decisions.
As photographers, we think this is a good reminder that understanding the tools we use is just as important as understanding the cameras we shoot with. Social platforms evolve constantly. Features change. AI capabilities expand. The best decisions aren't made from panic or viral headlines. They're made from understanding what a setting actually does and deciding whether it supports your business, your clients, and your values.
If you'd like to check your own settings:
• Open Instagram.
• Go to your Profile.
• Tap the ☰ menu.
• Select Settings and activity.
• Open Sharing and reuse.
• Review the options for your Posts and Reels and decide what makes the most sense for you.
As with so many conversations surrounding AI, the goal shouldn't be fear. It should be education. The more we understand these tools, the better equipped we are to make informed decisions instead of reactive ones.
