Meta Faces Legal Challenges in Europe Over Use of Instagram and Facebook Posts to Train AI
Users of Instagram and Facebook in the UK and European Union may soon find that everything they share publicly on those platforms will be used to train artificial intelligence (AI). This is due to a recent announcement from Meta, the parent company of both platforms, stating that they will be using public posts to train their AI model. However, this plan has faced 11 legal challenges in Europe, resulting in a delay in implementation.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has asked Meta to postpone training its large language models following the complaints. Stefano Fratta, Meta’s global engagement director for privacy policy, expressed disappointment at the delay. However, sources within the company are hopeful that the issue will be resolved over the summer.
One of the groups behind the legal challenges is Noyb, a European campaign group advocating for digital rights. They argue that Meta’s changes “override the fundamental right to data protection and privacy of European users”. In response to the backlash, Meta has stated that they are following the example of other tech giants like Google and OpenAI, who have also used data from European users to train AI. They also claim that their approach is more transparent and offers easier controls compared to their industry counterparts.
For users in the European Union and the UK, strict data protection rules are in place to protect their rights. This means they have the right to object to their data being taken and used. When the delayed plans are eventually put into action, users will be notified again about the upcoming changes. This notification could come in the form of a message or email from Meta, giving users the opportunity to object before the changes take effect. To facilitate this, Meta has provided a form for users to fill out and explain why they do not want their data to be used. However, there is no guarantee that the request will be accepted as Meta says they will review objection requests in accordance with relevant data protection laws.
Unfortunately, for users in the US or other countries without strict data privacy laws, there is no option to opt out of this data usage. This highlights the need for stronger data protection laws in these regions.
In addition to the legal challenges, Meta has also faced delays in releasing their AI technology in Europe due to these issues. According to Mr. Fratta, this is because without incorporating local information, the company would only be able to offer users in Europe a subpar experience. As a result, Meta AI is currently unavailable in Europe, but the company assures that they are working with the DPC to ensure that European users have access to the same level of AI innovation as the rest of the world.
