Meta Criticized For Plans To Use Personal Data To Train AI Without Permission

Meta is accused of using personal data to train artificial intelligence (AI) models (photo: x @Meta)

JAKARTA - Meta's plan to use personal data to train artificial intelligence (AI) models without seeking permission has come under fire from the NOYB advocacy group on Thursday, June 6 asking privacy enforcement across Europe to stop the use.

NOYB (none of your business) urged the national privacy watchdog to act immediately, saying that the latest changes to Meta's privacy policy, which took effect on June 26, would allow the company to use personal data from Facebook's posts, personal images, or online tracking data over the years for Facebook-owning AI technology.

The advocacy group said it had launched 11 complaints against Meta and asked data protection authorities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Spain to launch emergency procedures due to the imminent changes.

Meta rejected NOYB's criticism and referred to a blog on May 22 in which the company said it used publicly available and licensed information to train AI as well as publicly shared information by users on its products and services.

However, messages sent to Facebook users say Meta may still be processing information about people who don't use their products and services or don't have an account if they appear in images or are mentioned in posts or captions shared by users.

"We believe that our approach complies with privacy laws, and our approach is consistent with the way other technology companies develop and improve their AI experience in Europe (including Google and Open AI)," a Meta spokesperson said.

NOYB has filed several complaints against Meta and other major tech companies over alleged violations of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that threatens fines of up to 4% of the company's total global turnover for infringement.

Meta has previously expressed legitimate interest in using user data to train and develop a generative AI model as well as other AI tools, which can be shared with third parties.