From automated ad creation to tailored recommendations, digital giants are increasingly looking to turn every piece of content into a business opportunity.

In line with this trend, Instagram is currently testing a feature called “Shop the Look” that automatically adds shopping suggestions to posts. While the goal is to make product discovery easier, this trial has already provoked strong reactions from some content creators…

An AI That Turns Posts into Shopping Displays

Unveiled in a Trade Offs Substack post, the “Shop the Look” feature utilizes automated analysis of images and videos uploaded to Instagram, where AI detects products in a post and then displays a button that allows users to purchase similar items.

Specifically, when a user clicks on this button, the platform offers a selection of products that are comparable to those featured in the post. The algorithm may then continue to make recommendations to promote further purchases.

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For now, it is just a test aimed at helping users explore products that align with their interests when viewing posts or Reels, especially since Meta has not officially communicated about this feature.

Creators Decry the Use of Their Image

The controversy surrounding this test revolves around the fact that some creators were not informed about the inclusion of these shopping buttons on their posts.

This was the case for influencer Julia Berolzheimer, who has over a million followers on Instagram. She found out about the “Shop the Look” button only after a follower alerted her. Clicking on it redirected her followers to products similar to what she was wearing, but from brands she was unfamiliar with.

According to Berolzheimer, some links even pointed to knock-offs of the items she showcased in her content. For influencers, this practice can undermine the trust they have built with their community, as their image becomes associated with unendorsed products.

Beyond reputational concerns, there can also be an economic impact. Many creators use affiliate links to monetize their recommendations. If Instagram redirects users to other products, the platform may divert a purchase intent generated by their content.

A Trend Extending Beyond Instagram…

This strategy is not confined to Instagram, as on TikTok, a similar feature called “Find Similar” is also being tested to recommend products available on TikTok Shop based on a mere video.

However, what makes these trials unique is that they can be applied to any post, whether from a professional influencer or a casual user. In some instances, shopping buttons have even appeared on content whose authors had no commercial intent.

This shift exemplifies a gradual transformation of the social media model: user-generated content is becoming a directly exploitable resource for online commerce…