Meta, the social media behemoth, hit a roadblock in the EU. Their cutting-edge AI launch got delayed due to privacy concerns. Originally set for June 26, the innovative program aimed to leverage users’ data for enhanced performance. However, faced with backlash over lack of transparency and data usage, the company decided to push back the rollout. Europe’s not letting tech giants play fast and loose with personal info!
Social media giant Meta has postponed the launch of its new artificial intelligence (AI) program in the European Union following complaints in several Member States that the company was abusing users’ profile data.
Meta, the parent company of some of the world’s largest social media platforms, planned to implement a new privacy policy on 26 June. It would allow it to use years of its users’ public data, including personal details, photos, posts and comments, to train its AI program that could, for example, generate text and images or answer user queries.
However, the company has now announced it will be postponing the rollout of this software. This decision follows a series of complaints lodged in Europe about the AI initiative and the lack of information received by users.
Max Schrems, a well-known privacy advocate from Austria, is making waves in Belgium and 10 other European countries with his NGO ‘None of Your Business’ (Noyb). They are taking on Meta’s new privacy policies, criticizing the social media giant for its confusing opt-out approach instead of obtaining clear consent for using personal data.
Adding to the uproar, Test Achats, a consumer protection organization, has lodged a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority against Meta’s privacy policy
Prominent Austrian privacy advocate, Max Schrems, through his NGO ‘None of Your Business’ (Noyb), filed complaints opposing Meta’s plans in 11 European countries including Belgium last week. Noyb criticised the social network corporation’s new privacy policies and contended that Meta employs a ‘misleading and complicated’ opt-out model rather than seeking explicit consent (opt-in) for personal data usage.
Later in the week, consumer protection organisation Test Achats filed a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority against Meta’s new privacy policy. It argued that users are not properly informed about it and cannot effectively exercise their right to object.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), where Meta’s European headquarters are based, has been in close contact with the company about their new policy. In fact, they’ve asked Meta to pause using European data in their AI models as they believe it would lead to a subpar user experience without local information. Due to this, Meta has decided to hold off on launching Meta AI in Europe for now, a move that they feel hinders innovation and competitiveness in AI development on the continent. Despite this
According to the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), where Meta’s European headquarters are located, there has been ‘intense communication’ between the regulator and the corporation regarding the new policy. It now requested that Meta temporarily suspend the use of European data in the AI models.
Without ‘local information’, Meta suggests the roll-out of its new AI services would provide a ‘second-rate experience’. Consequently, they decided against launching Meta AI, a competitor to the likes of OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT, in Europe for now.
Meta described this as a ‘setback for European innovation and competitiveness in AI development’. The corporation also emphasised that its approach complies with ‘European laws and regulations’ and claims to be more transparent than other industry players. In a brief response, the DPC welcomed Meta’s decision.