Meta’s plans to use personal data to train its artificial intelligence technology in Europe have been paused following privacy complaints. A privacy campaign group based in Vienna filed complaints in 11 European countries against Meta, raising concerns about the potential misuse of personal data for training AI technology.
The complaints, brought by the European Center for Digital Rights also known as Noyb, addressed Meta’s planned privacy policy change. The group discovered that Meta intended to use all public and non-public user data collected since 2007 for their AI technology. The complaints called for data protection authorities to stop Meta’s new policy before it took effect and investigate the matter fully.
In response to the complaints, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) stated that Meta had decided to pause its plans to use public content from Facebook and Instagram to train its large language model in the EU/EEA. The DPC welcomed this decision and indicated that they would continue to engage with Meta on the issue alongside other EU data protection authorities.
Legal Proceedings
Noyb founder Max Schrems commented on the situation, noting that while the pause was a positive development, there has been no official change to Meta’s privacy policy. The cases filed by Noyb against Meta are still ongoing and require further investigation. Noyb has a history of taking legal action against technology giants to uphold data protection regulations, particularly since the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation in 2018.
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between technology companies and data protection regulations in Europe. It underscores the need for rigorous oversight and enforcement to ensure that user data is handled responsibly and ethically in the age of artificial intelligence and big data. The involvement of advocacy groups like Noyb serves as a reminder that individuals have the power to hold corporations accountable for their use of personal data. Moving forward, it will be crucial for both companies like Meta and regulatory authorities to work together to establish transparent policies that protect user privacy while enabling innovation and technological advancement.
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