Meta Faces Resistance From Austrian Privacy Group Over AI Training
Meta, the parent company of several popular social platforms, has come under criticism from an Austrian privacy group named NOYB (None Of Your Business) for its attempts to use personal data of its users for artificial intelligence (AI) training without obtaining explicit consent.
New Privacy Policy Enables Data Utilization For AI Training
Meta’s new privacy policy, taking effect on June 26, allows the company to utilize data including user conversations, personal photos, and online tracking data for AI training. Reacting against these changes, NOYB has lodged 11 complaints against Meta with data protection authorities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Spain, urging them to consider these complaints urgently given the policy’s impending enforcement.
Meta Denies NOYB’s Allegations
In response, Meta refutes NOYB’s allegations by pointing to their blog post statement from May 22 that argues the company uses only publicly available and licensed information for AI training, alongside details about products and services that users have publicly shared. Furthermore, Meta communicated to its platform users that it reserves the right to process data on individuals who don’t use its products or services, or those without accounts, if they are captured in user-shared images or mentioned in their messages. A Meta spokesperson maintains, “We believe our approach is compliant with privacy laws and is aligned with how other technology companies develop and refine AI features in Europe (including Google and OpenAI).”
NOYB Insists on User Consent Requirement
According to NOYB founder Max Schrems, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has already made it clear that Meta possesses no ‘legitimate interest’ to infringe user data privacy rights for advertising purposes. Schrems notes that Meta is attempting to use the same claims for its ambiguous AI technology training. Schrems says, “Shoving the burden onto users is absolutely absurd. The law requires Meta to obtain consent, not offer a hidden and misleading opt-out form. If Meta wants to use your data, they should ask for permission. Instead, they are forcing users to beg for exemptions.”.
