Meta, the social media giant, has decided to pause its plans to utilize personal data for training its artificial intelligence technology in Europe. This decision comes after facing privacy complaints from a Vienna-based privacy campaign group in 11 European countries.
Violation of Privacy Policy
The complaints, filed by the European Center for Digital Rights (Noyb), raised concerns about Meta’s proposed privacy policy change. According to Noyb, this change would enable an “unlawful” utilization of personal data for training an “undefined” type of present and future AI technology.
Data Use Since 2007
One of the key issues highlighted by Noyb was Meta’s intention to utilize both public and non-public user data collected since 2007 for its AI technology. This raised significant privacy concerns among users and privacy advocates.
Following the complaints, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued a statement expressing its approval of Meta’s decision to halt its plans temporarily. The DPC also mentioned that it had engaged closely with Meta on this matter and would continue to collaborate with other EU data protection authorities.
Noyb’s Founder Reacts
Noyb founder Max Schrems welcomed Meta’s decision but emphasized the need for ongoing monitoring of the situation. He pointed out that the cases filed by Noyb against Meta are still pending and require further investigation and determination.
Noyb has a history of initiating legal cases against technology giants, including Meta, to safeguard user privacy and data protection. The group has been actively advocating for stronger privacy regulations since the implementation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation in 2018.
Meta’s decision to pause its plans to use personal data for training AI in Europe reflects the growing concerns surrounding data privacy and the ethical use of AI technology. The actions taken by organizations like Noyb and regulatory authorities indicate the importance of upholding user privacy rights in the digital age. Ongoing monitoring and enforcement of data protection regulations are essential to ensure that tech companies prioritize user privacy and data security.
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