Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, has declared that the era when photographs or video could be taken at face value is over, arguing that advances in artificial intelligence have broken the basic visual trust that once underpinned social media.
The warning comes from the executive in charge of one of the world’s most influential image platforms. He believes the problem is not a passing technical glitch but as a long-term shift in how audiences interpret what they see online.
In a lengthy year-end Instagram post illustrated with 20 images charting changes in online content, Mosseri wrote: “For most of my life I could safely assume photographs or videos were largely accurate captures of moments that happened. This is clearly no longer the case and it’s going to take us years to adapt.”
Quoting from Digit’s coverage, he urged a shift “from assuming what we see is real by default, to starting with skepticism. Paying attention to who is sharing something and why. This will be uncomfortable – we’re genetically predisposed to believing our eyes.”
Mosseri framed the challenge as structural rather than purely technical. He argued that platforms must evolve quickly by offering better creative tools, clearly labelling AI-made content and creating reliable ways to verify real photos and videos. Users, he said, should be given clearer signals about who is posting and whether they are trustworthy, while systems should do more to promote original work.
Practical responses are already taking shape. Meta plans to label AI-generated images on Facebook and Instagram and is working with Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Adobe, Midjourney and Shutterstock on metadata standards for synthetic media. Those labels are expected to roll out in multiple languages in the months ahead, partly in response to global election cycles.
Technical proposals discussed by Mosseri and others include cryptographic camera signatures and shared provenance standards. CreativeBloq reported his support for schemes such as CAI and C2PA to attest to the origin of images, alongside an admission that platforms still need to improve how they read and trust such metadata. Tom’s Guide highlighted Mosseri’s emphasis on hardware-level verification as a more durable defence than chasing ever-evolving detection algorithms.
Mosseri acknowledged the uneasy trade-offs ahead. Raw and imperfect photos may still function as a signal of authenticity for now, but once AI convincingly imitates flaws and mistakes those cues will fade. At that point, he suggested, audiences will need to focus less on what is being shown and more on who is doing the showing.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, with the earliest known publication date being December 31, 2025. It has been republished across multiple reputable outlets, including CreativeBloq ([creativebloq.com](https://www.creativebloq.com/art/digital-art/instagrams-boss-admits-ai-slop-has-won-but-where-does-that-leave-creatives?utm_source=openai)), Tom’s Guide ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/instagram-says-ai-killed-the-curated-feed-now-its-scrambling-to-prove-whats-real?utm_source=openai)), and TechRadar ([techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/ai-slop-won-in-2025-fingerprinting-real-content-might-be-the-answer-in-2026?utm_source=openai)). The content appears to be based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data and addresses the evolving nature of AI-generated content, justifying a higher freshness score. No similar content was found published more than 7 days earlier.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The direct quotes from Adam Mosseri, such as “For most of my life, I could safely assume photographs or videos were largely accurate captures of moments that happened. This is clearly no longer the case, and it’s going to take us years to adapt,” are consistent across multiple reputable sources, including Business Today ([businesstoday.in](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-chief-adam-mosseri-warns-online-authenticity-is-at-risk-amid-ai-boom-509084-2026-01-02/?utm_source=openai)) and Mint ([livemint.com](https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/instagram-head-adam-mosseri-on-ai-challenge-authenticity-will-matter-more-than-ever-11767421038758.html?utm_source=openai)). No variations in wording were found, indicating the quotes are accurately reproduced.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable organisations, including Business Today ([businesstoday.in](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-chief-adam-mosseri-warns-online-authenticity-is-at-risk-amid-ai-boom-509084-2026-01-02/?utm_source=openai)) and Mint ([livemint.com](https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/instagram-head-adam-mosseri-on-ai-challenge-authenticity-will-matter-more-than-ever-11767421038758.html?utm_source=openai)), which are known for their journalistic standards. The information is corroborated by multiple reputable outlets, enhancing the reliability of the content.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with the current discourse on AI-generated content and its impact on authenticity. The shift towards questioning the authenticity of online visuals due to AI advancements is a topic covered by multiple reputable sources, including Business Today ([businesstoday.in](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-chief-adam-mosseri-warns-online-authenticity-is-at-risk-amid-ai-boom-509084-2026-01-02/?utm_source=openai)) and Mint ([livemint.com](https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/instagram-head-adam-mosseri-on-ai-challenge-authenticity-will-matter-more-than-ever-11767421038758.html?utm_source=openai)). The tone and language used are consistent with the region and topic, and the structure is focused on the main claim without excessive or off-topic detail.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent, with consistent and accurate quotes from a reputable source. The information is corroborated by multiple reputable outlets, and the claims made are plausible and align with current discussions on AI-generated content and authenticity. No significant issues were identified, indicating a high level of credibility.
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