Meta's new AI agent, called Muse, now occupies the social media handles once held by Muse, the English rock band. The band has used the @muse handle on Instagram and X for years. That is no longer the case. The switch happened quietly over the summer, and the exact circumstances remain unclear.
Fans first spotted the band's Instagram username shifting to @museband in early June, according to Reddit users. The Independent placed the change in July. By the time Meta officially unveiled its AI agent on Tuesday, the @Muse handle belonged to the company's product, not the band. The same shift occurred on X, where the band now operates as @museband.
The confusion has been public. When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted about the AI agent, he tagged what turned out to be the band's account. Other Meta executives made the same mistake. New York Times reporter Mike Isaac flagged the pattern and called it a bug.
Why the Irony Stings
Muse, the band, has spent years writing songs about technology and its dangers. Their work draws heavily from anxieties about surveillance, social oppression, and the way digital tools can be weaponized. Having their name taken for a corporate AI product lands uncomfortably close to the themes they have explored in their music.
Some fans have voiced disappointment online. Neither Meta nor representatives for the band have responded to requests for comment.
How Meta Has Handled Handles Before
This is not the first time Meta has acquired a username from a smaller entity around a major product launch. When Facebook rebranded to Meta in 2021, the company took over the @Meta Instagram handle, which had belonged to an independent motorcycle magazine since 2014. The magazine's editor-in-chief described the loss as a "punch in the gut." The publication later changed its name. Meta denied making legal threats but declined to answer whether it had contacted or compensated the magazine. A spokesperson at the time said simply, "We allow people to change their usernames on Instagram."
A similar pattern played out with Threads. When Meta launched the Twitter competitor in 2023, it did not control the @threads handle on Instagram. That belonged to American Threads, a small fashion retailer. Within a month, Meta had taken over the account.
Meta's official policy prohibits buying, selling, or trading Instagram usernames. Yet high-profile handles routinely change hands, sometimes through unofficial channels. The company has not explained the process by which it acquires these handles from individuals or small brands.
X Sets Its Own Precedent
Other platforms have followed similar practices. Elon Musk's X reclaimed the @X handle from its previous owner in 2023, reportedly offering merchandise in exchange. That same year, a user who had held @music since 2007 lost the handle so it could be reassigned as an official account. More recently, X launched a marketplace where users can formally purchase inactive usernames, putting a price on what was once just a username.
The Bigger Picture
Username disputes reveal a power imbalance that favors the platforms. A band that trademarked its name in 1999 has fewer practical defenses than the company that owns the infrastructure where usernames live. Platform policies are written unilaterally, and enforcement is at the company's discretion.
For brands, creators, and anyone who has built an identity around a specific handle, the takeaway is stark. A username is not ownership. It is a license that a platform can revoke when it sees fit. Muse the band built its name over decades. Meta took the handles in a matter of weeks.