AMAZON has deployed detection mechanisms to identify Meta’s Muse AI assistant and block it when it attempts to shop on users’ behalf. Blocked requests are redirected to a dedicated warning page. Amazon says the restriction is intended to prevent Muse from carrying out automated shopping and payments, citing potential risks to account credentials, account histories and transaction pages.
The move follows unsuccessful discussions between the companies. Amazon reportedly asked Meta to exclude its domains from Muse’s automatic shopping list, but Meta rejected the proposal. Meta says Muse uses virtual-machine isolation and Sentinel agent monitoring, with passwords stored securely and user account information protected. The supplied report does not provide evidence of a confirmed compromise or exploitation; it describes the issue as a dispute over security, control and automated purchasing.
The decision may also affect Amazon’s advertising model. The report says automated assistants could bypass sponsored listings by selecting products based on factors such as reviews, potentially reducing exposure to Amazon’s advertising business. Amazon continues to permit its own shopping agents to browse and purchase automatically. Those agents support identity verification and allow brands to opt out, meaning opted-out products will not appear in automated search results.