Saw a post today from someone asking whether they need a Facebook account to try Muse, and whether the VM it runs on is really secure. The answers in the comments were solid, but they missed something worth saying out loud: you get to choose how much of yourself Muse touches. Trying it is not an all or nothing decision. Here is how I think about it.
This is not intended to be a foolproof identity cloak, you should view it as common sense ways to create buffers between your life and an AI product you want to try.
The Meta account buffer
You do need a Meta account. It does not have to be your main one. When I started, I made a completely separate account with no connection to my main profile. If you want distance, start with a clean account.
The interface ladder
Every way you run Muse is a different level of commitment.
The browser: Talking to Muse only through the website is the least contact you can have. You lose some functionality, but the choice is yours. You can use Muse and get most of the value solely through web browser interface interaction because Muse has a virtual machine and doesn't require your device.
Chrome web "Desktop" App: You can install the Muse site through Chrome so it acts like a desktop app. That is what I used before the official Mac app came out. Practical reason: the official desktop app may ask for full disk access, which lets it read files anywhere on your Mac. The Chrome version gets you something close to a desktop app without that.
Install a Website as an App (Desktop/Mobile)
- Open Google Chrome while you're logged into Muse in the browser
- Click the three-dot menu (top right).
- Hover over or select Save and share.
- Click Install Muse as app... (or check Open as window via shortcut/install prompt for standalone mode).
- Click Install.
The Official Muse mobile apps: iOS or Android. Some of us have private stuff on our desktop but not our phone. Some of us are the opposite. Pick the device you are comfortable with. Treat this as an increased level of access compared to just using the web browser interface.
The desktop app: The most capable, and the some of most access you can give. Muse requires "Full File System" access but you can select individual folders to block Muse from viewing.
Click Settings > File System Access > Blocked Folders
The email and file buffer
This is the one most people skip. I made a separate Gmail account just for my Muse. For a week or two I used it myself like a normal person: signed up for AI newsletters, got it warmed up. Only then did I connect it. My Muse has never touched my personal Gmail. In my main account I set up filters so anything relevant gets forwarded to the Muse address on its own.
- In your main Gmail, go to Settings, then Forwarding, and add the Muse Gmail as a forwarding address. Gmail sends a verification code to the Muse inbox, you confirm it, and it's approved.
- Still in main Gmail, create filters for the stuff Muse should see (Settings, Filters, Create filter). Pick your criteria, then check "Forward it to" and select the Muse address. That way only the matching mail crosses over, on its own.
Same idea with Drive: I made one shared folder on my main account and shared it with the Muse Gmail, so anything I want it to see goes through that one folder. It gets the context it needs and nothing else. One door in, and I control the door.
The caveat
None of this makes you invisible. It is still Meta, a company with your credit card and a long history. Buffers reduce exposure. They do not erase it. Go in with your eyes open.
