AI-generated Mia Goth image spreads on Instagram with blue verification badge

An Instagram account called miagoth_, carrying a blue verification badge and more than a million followers, posted an image earlier this month showing actor Mia Goth in a shirt reading "MY EX IS MY BIGGEST FAN" set to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." The post racked up hundreds of thousands of likes. Outlets including OK! and People covered it as authentic until Goth's representatives clarified the image was AI-generated and that the actor does not have or operate any social-media accounts.

Christine Tripicchio, Goth's representative, said repeated complaints had been filed with Instagram demanding removal of the verified fan account, which continues to publish fake images. She called it fundamentally troubling that such an account meets the criteria for a blue badge and said it is inconceivable that Instagram would prioritize distribution of fabricated content over protecting a public figure's likeness. The account was labeled as fan-run, but the verification badge — which once signaled an official, authenticated entity — misled many inside and outside the industry.

Meta began selling blue verification badges several years ago under a new program that allows accounts like fan pages to receive "verification" even when they are not operated by the person depicted in the content. As of Tuesday morning, the miagoth_ account appeared to have been deleted from the platform. Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge.

Instead of banning generative content depicting real people, Meta relies on partial labeling. Photorealistic AI videos of individuals may require a label, but the rules exempt still images from mandatory disclosure. AI-generated content featuring real people, including public figures, regularly draws millions of views on Instagram, and Meta executives have signaled that generative content will become a core part of how users interact on the company's platforms in the future.

Entertainers, musicians and actors have raised concerns for years about the use of their likenesses in AI-generated content. In 2024 Scarlett Johansson alleged that OpenAI used a voice similar to hers for ChatGPT after she declined to work with the company. That same year Taylor Swift said AI images of her posted by Donald Trump made her realize she had to "fight misinformation" surrounding her political endorsement.