Why Robin Williams’ family brought back his Instagram account
The children of late actor and comedian Robin Williams have revived his long-dormant Instagram account to push back against the growing use of artificial intelligence to recreate his likeness.
Zak, Zelda, and Cody Williams returned to their father's official Instagram account on Aug. 17, more than a decade after it became inactive following his death in 2014.
The move comes in what would have been Williams' 75th year. The actor, known for films including Mrs. Doubtfire, Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting, was born on July 21, 1951.
In their first post, the siblings said they wanted the account to serve as a reliable source for people discovering Williams' work, while also preserving the memories shared by longtime fans.
“As we recognize what would be our Dad’s 75th year, we're grateful to see new generations discovering his work while longtime fans continue to celebrate the joy he brought into their lives,” they wrote.
The family said the account's revival was partly prompted by how quickly technology has changed since Williams' death.
“[We] want this to be a safe, trusted place where the stories, photos, videos, and memories shared reflect his legacy with authenticity, warmth, and care,” the siblings said.
Williams' daughter Zelda has previously spoken out against AI-generated videos that recreate her father's voice and appearance.
In 2025, she asked people to stop sending her deepfakes featuring Williams, saying she did not want to see them and would not consider them a meaningful way of honoring her father.
She later explained why the family decided to reactivate his Instagram account, saying it would give people a place to find genuine material featuring her father.
“Making that space into one where people can find authentic clips and photos of him is one of the best ways we've now found to fight back against rampant AI abuse of his voice and likeness on here,” Zelda said.
The family's statement emphasized that the account will focus on Williams' actual work and the moments that made audiences laugh.
“This is our way of sharing his unique talent and humor with the world,” the siblings wrote, adding that their father “continues to inspire us and delight people all over the world.”
Williams died in August 2014 at the age of 63. His final Instagram post, shared shortly before his death, was a birthday tribute to Zelda.
