Today, we're releasing a new paper sharing key recommendations on AI that urge platforms to prepare for a new era of content moderation. #AI #SocialMedia #OnlineGovernance #Meta
— Oversight Board (@OversightBoard) September 17, 2024
Meta has announced that it will begin using public content shared by adult users in the U.K. on Facebook and Instagram to train its artificial intelligence systems. The company said this will help its AI models reflect British culture, history, and idioms. Users aged 18 and above will receive notifications on both platforms explaining the process and how they can object to their data being used.
Meta said it will honor users’ choices and not include private messages or information from minors’ accounts.
Privacy concerns or progress? 🔒📈
Meta gets go-ahead to train AI using UK FB & IG posts 🤖🇬🇧📱 https://t.co/mXPmRwMQ2x
— One Green Bean (@onegreenbean) September 18, 2024
The decision comes after Meta engaged with the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and received guidance supporting its use of the legal basis of Legitimate Interests to train AI models using first-party data. However, Austrian privacy non-profit noyb has criticized Meta for making the process opt-out instead of opt-in and not providing enough information on how the data will be used.
https://twitter.com/privacyint/status/1836716619025797499
Meta uses U.K. data for AI
The ICO said it will monitor the situation as Meta notifies users and begins processing their data. Stephen Almond, executive director of regulatory risk at the ICO, stated, “Organizations should put effective safeguards in place before they start using personal data for model training, including providing a clear and simple route for users to object to the processing.”
#Meta said on Friday that it will push ahead with controversial plans to use millions of #UK Facebook and Instagram posts to train its artificial intelligence (#AI) technology. https://t.co/ugUKkrC2bm
— Solihull Updates (@SolihullUpdates) September 16, 2024
Meta has also acknowledged that it has been using all public text and photos posted by adult Facebook and Instagram users since 2007 to train its AI models.
This revelation came during a government inquiry in Australia, where Meta’s global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh, initially denied the claims but later confirmed them. Unlike in the European Union, where users can opt out of having their data used for AI training, Facebook and Instagram users in Australia currently have no such option if they want to keep their posts public. Senator David Shoebridge highlighted the need for stronger privacy laws in Australia to protect user data from being exploited without explicit consent.
The Australian government is currently reviewing its privacy regulations, with an announcement of reforms to the Privacy Act expected soon. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is set to announce the proposed legislative changes in the coming months.
