No more Instagram filters? Here's what to know about Meta's move to pull AR features in Illinois.

Last week Meta, the social media company formerly known as Facebook, removed some of its augmented reality effects and applications, such as avatars and filters, from Facebook and Instagram in Illinois.The decision also affects Meta’s Messenger and Messenger Kids apps as well as Portal, its family of smart video-calling devices. The company, which was embroiled in privacy litigation in Illinois for years over its facial tagging feature, also pulled the features in Texas.A Meta spokesperson said the augmented reality technology is not facial recognition, but the company was “taking this step to prevent meritless and distracting litigation under laws in these two states based on a mischaracterization of how our features work.”The mobile phone app logos for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in 2021. (Richard Drew/AP)The company plans to reintroduce the augmented reality features on an opt-in basis. A Meta spokesperson did not offer a timeline for when the features would become available again, saying the new opt-in experiences would roll out “soon.”“We remain committed to delivering AR experiences that people love, and that a diverse roster of creators use to grow their businesses, without needless friction or confusion,” the company said in a statement.Here’s what to know about augmented reality…
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