Hot Summer update: AI data mining protection, search, paid plans, and more!
Phew, it’s been a scorcher of a summer, but we haven’t been chilling on the beach (metaphorically speaking). Fueled by your awesome feedback and following the roadmap, we released a fresh batch of updates for Macula. All these steaming new features are ready and waiting for you in our web app. Let’s break it down.
Protect your images from AI data mining 🤖🚫
GenAI is running wild, and social media giants are using your content to fuel their machines without asking. It’s a digital free-for-all, and original creators are the ones left holding the short end of the stick. Opting out is a nightmare, and even then, there’s no guarantee your images are safe from hungry scraping bots unless they contain an opt-out in a machine-readable form when (re)shared
We can’t wave a magic wand and fix the entire system, but we can take all the hassle off your shoulders. You won’t need to worry about a thing, as your images will be equipped to fend off those data-hungry bots.
Macula now automatically shields your images from AI training and data mining, disallowing any kind of mining by default. If you want to allow it or permit only certain usages, you can do it by selecting the appropriate option when sharing.
We use both market standards to signal the opt-out in a machine-readable form:
- IPTC Metadata Standard: We populate specific metadata fields indicating the creator’s preference for AI/ML training and data mining. Macula sets “Data Mining Prohibited” by default. You can manually switch the terms if you choose so.
- Robot.txt: We add a ‘keep out’ sign to deter unwanted bots.
Your content, your rules. That’s the Macula way. And the best part? This feature is free for everyone.
Ready to learn more? Check out our updated docs.
Do more with Macula’s paid plans 🎩
Until now Macula only had a free plan (and a pretty generous one, by the way). But let’s face it, free stuff only goes so far. Many of you hit a wall and needed more space, speed, or advanced features to do your best work.
While the free plan is not going anywhere, now you can go further, remove the limitations, and choose the setup that fits your needs best.
You can see the new plans’ specks and upgrade via Billing tab within the app.
Search and other improvements 🔎
Moving to the user interface side of things, the most notable addition is the search bar, always available in the app’s header. No matter how big your collection is, you can now quickly find what you need without clicking through the folders. The search bar also remembers your previous queries, so you can always come back to what you were looking for without typing the same thing all over again.
As always, we’ve been laser-focused on your feedback (big thanks to everyone who reached out with bug reports & suggestions!) This update also incorporates a range of smaller improvements and fixes, making Macula more stable, smooth, and enjoyable to navigate.
Going onward 🎯
And yet, this is just the beginning. Every piece of feedback and every improvement brings us closer to the ultimate goal: empowering creators with true freedom and control over their work. Now that the paid plans are available, you can support us on our path while also getting more value for your creative workflow.
See What’s Next: Curious to see what’s next? Check out Macula feature roadmap. That’s also where the functionality requests and suggestions we get from you will appear.
Join the Conversation: We want to hear from you! Become a tester, share your thoughts, or simply say hi — we’re here for it. Join our Discord, reach out on X/Twitter, or email us to hey <at> macula.link.
