--- title: "Meta’s AI Support Bot Is Giving Hackers Access to Other People’s Instagram Accounts Just by Asking" description: "Meta's AI customer support chatbot happily obliged when hackers asked it for access to high-profile Instagram profiles." date: "2026-06-01" modified: "2026-06-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/meta-ai-support-bot-hackers-access-instagram-accounts" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Cybersecurity" - "Data Privacy" - "Future Society" - "Hacking" - "Meta" --- # Meta’s AI Support Bot Is Giving Hackers Access to Other People’s Instagram Accounts Just by Asking ![Illustration of an anonymous hacker typing on a keyboard in the dark, overlaid with a digital glitch treatment.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* In March, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta [announced]() a new Meta AI support assistant feature on both Facebook and Instagram, providing users with a way to "resolve account problems" and help in taking down any offending impersonator accounts or scams. Besides highlighting the tech industry's seemingly insatiable appetite for [automating customer service-level jobs]() with AI, the new feature appears to have backfired spectacularly. As [*404 Media* reports](), the chatbot happily obliged when hackers asked it for access to high-profile Instagram profiles. The ruse is shockingly simple: after matching the account owner's geographic region using a VPN, the hackers asked the support chatbot to change the email address associated with the profile, thereby allowing them to successfully complete two-factor authentication. Worse yet, the vulnerability has been around for several months already, according to Telegram group messages reviewed by *404 Media*. "t’s either the new Meta Accounts Center glitching out or my Instagram account is being targeted in a hacking attempt," former Meta researcher and self-proclaimed hacker Jane Wong wrote in a [Threads post](). "It appears that my password has been changed without my knowledge / I was not able to log in using my password." The exploit highlights glaring cybersecurity issues that continue to plague AI-powered chatbots. We've seen countless instances of large language model based tools being [jailbroken](), [tricked into telling lies](), or even hallucinate made-up company policies [leading to plenty of confusion]() and [even lawsuits](). Experts have also long warned [against handing AI chatbots personal information](), citing the risk of data leaks. Meta, in particular, has garnered a reputation for continuously treating user data with little care. In March, for instance, [*The Information* reported]() that an in-house AI agent had [caused a critical security incident]() at Meta, exposing sensitive user data to people without proper authorization. While it's unclear whether they were connected to the latest exploit, the news comes after several high profile Instagram accounts, including former president [Barack Obama's]() and [Space Force chief master]() John Bentivegna's, were hacked. Hackers have been offering access to high-profile accounts in exchange for small amounts of money by using the vulnerability, per *404 Media*. Fortunately, Meta appears to have patched the issue, but considering the exploit was discovered months ago, the damage could be extensive. **More on Meta:** [*Meta Workers Say They’re Seeing Disturbing Things Through Users’ Smart Glasses*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()