Europeans are largely skeptical about the idea of training artificial intelligence on social media posts, with only a small percentage (7%) endorsing it as acceptable.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is currently using the personal data of European users to train its AI models without obtaining explicit consent. This approach has sparked strong opposition from privacy advocacy group Noyb, with a recent Gallup survey revealing that only 7% of German Meta users want their data used this way, and 27% were unaware that it was happening[1][3].
The controversy stems from Meta's reliance on a controversial claim of "legitimate interest" under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR. Max Schrems, the founder of privacy advocacy group Noyb (None Of Your Business), commissioned a study that found that only 7% of the users wanted Meta to train its AI models on their data[3].
Meta claims to have sent over 2 billion in-app notifications and emails to users in Europe to explain its AI training practices and their right to object. However, data protection authorities in the EU and UK have expressed concerns but enforcement and regulatory clarity remain limited[5].
Noyb's complaints led Meta to suspend its AI training in Europe last year. The Irish data protection authorities, who oversee Meta's European operations, have not provided comment on Noyb's survey at the time of publication.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) states that organizations relying on the legitimate interests lawful basis for AI training must provide clear information about these activities and give users a simple route to opt out[2].
Meta would rather avoid asking for opt-in consent, so it claims to have "legitimate interests" for the processing. This approach has been approved by data protection authorities in the EU and the UK[5].
Schrems' decade-plus crusade against Meta has led to the collapse of two US-EU data-sharing agreements and significant changes to Meta's data-collection practices in Europe[1]. The case is expected to be adjudicated at the EU's highest court, with German privacy officials predicting that Meta's AI practices will be a key issue[1].
Noyb is considering a potential class action against Meta that could cost the company billions[3]. In May, a German regional court rejected an injunction application by consumer advocates, saying Meta's GDPR justification is kosher[1].
This ongoing controversy highlights the need for clear and transparent data practices, as well as the ongoing challenges in regulating AI and data privacy in the digital age.
Sources: 1. The Guardian 2. ICO 3. Noyb 4. Reuters 5. EU Observer
- The controversy surrounding Meta's AI training practices in Europe highlights the need for clear and transparent data practices, particularly in light of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR.
- Max Schrems, the founder of privacy advocacy group Noyb, has commissioned a study that found only 7% of Meta users in Europe wanted their personal data used for AI training, yet Meta relies on a claim of "legitimate interest" under these regulations.
- Noyb's complaints have led to Meta suspending its AI training in Europe and consider a potential class action against the company, which could cost Meta billions.
- Regulatory clarity remains limited in EU and UK as they express concerns but enforcement remains unclear, especially in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and software, and their impact on user privacy.
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