Today's cutoff point: Instagram and Facebook's relentless encroachment into your digital existence

Today's cutoff point: Instagram and Facebook's relentless encroachment into your digital existence

Meta Announces Use of User Data for AI Training from May 27, Opt-Out Deadline Approaches

Starting on May 27, 2025, tech giant Meta (CEO: Mark Zuckerberg) will initiate the utilization of all publicly shared content on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, to train its AI systems. However, those who do not opt-out will lose permanent control over their data. German justice has failed to halt the implementation of Meta AI, and the opt-out deadline is mere days away.

Limited Opportunity to Opt-Out

The opt-out deadline for users is set for May 26, 2025. After this date, the data collection will commence, and any subsequent withdrawal of consent will no longer be possible. The Consumer Advice Center NRW, relevant to the approximately 77.6% of Germans actively using social media, has raised concerns about this significant change. An urgent application to the Cologne Higher Regional Court has not resulted in a halt to the Meta AI project.

Criticism over the short opt-out period of just three days has arisen, with some suspecting a deliberate strategy aimed at keeping users uninformed. Additionally, users may need to act swiftly to consider a new WhatsApp feature.

Outcome of Data Usage

meta plans to employ users' public content (texts, images, videos, interactions) to train its AI models, which potentially mimic users' personal styles in AI-generated content. Data collected may be used for targeted advertising, product development, and behavioral analysis, without clear compensation or transparency regarding specific uses. Users' loss of control over data usage will be permanent once the deadline passes. There remains a risk that third parties or Meta partners could gain access to users' data.

Data Affected

Meta's data collection encompasses almost everything visibly or publicly marked as such. This includes basic user information such as name, username, and profile picture on Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, activities in public groups, on Facebook pages, and channels are included. Affected data includes:

• Name
• Facebook and Instagram Username
• Profile Picture
• Public Profile Information
• Posts in Public Groups
• Activities on Facebook Pages
• Interactions in Public Channels
• Comments on Public Posts
• Reactions (Likes, etc.) to Public Content
• Public Posts and Status Updates
• Publicly Shared Photos and Their Captions
• Publicly Shared Videos
• Public Stories and Reels

Meta will have access to a massive trove of data, spanning multiple years of personal activities.

WhatsApp Users Unaffected (for now)

For WhatsApp users, there is currently no immediate cause for alarm, as personal chats are encrypted, ensuring only communication partners have access to their content. Meta has assured IPPEN.MEDIA that "currently, no content from WhatsApp is being used for AI training."

Meanwhile, users are already questioning how to remove Meta AI from WhatsApp, though none is required to worry as of yet. There is no training data from user interactions via WhatsApp being utilized at this time.

Users' Action Plan

Those who wish to protect their data should act promptly before the deadline. To opt-out of data use, Facebook and Instagram users must find the opt-out form within the respective platform's logged-in area.

• Step-by-Step Guide on Facebook:
• Log in to your account
• Click on the menu icon located in the top right corner
• Scroll down and select "Settings & Privacy"
• Click on "Settings"
• Scroll to "Privacy" or "Data" and look for "AI Training" or "Data Use for AI"
• Click on "Manage" or "Edit"
• Disable the option for data use in AI training
• Confirm your selection with "Save" or "Confirm"
• Check for a confirmation of your objection
• Step-by-Step Guide on Instagram:
• Log in
• Tap on your profile picture
• Tap the three dots (menu) in the top right corner
• Select "Settings & Privacy"
• Scroll down to "Privacy" or "Data" and look for "AI Training" or "Data Use for AI"
• Tap on this option
• Disable the permission for data use in AI
• Confirm your selection
• Ensure you receive a confirmation

Long-term, data protection experts advise users to regularly check privacy settings and consider carefully what information to share in public posts. Conscious management of one's digital identity is increasingly relevant as data becomes the "new oil."

Artificial Intelligence as a Growing Business

Meta's move is part of a broader strategy to establish itself in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market. To develop competitive AI systems, companies require substantial training data. With billions of users, Meta's platforms present just such a treasure trove of data.

For users, however, this means their personal content – ranging from vacation photos to comments – could unexpectedly become part of an AI training set, without clear compensation or insight into specific uses.

Meta's latest change serves as a reminder of the constant evolution of the digital world: while social media has become integral to daily life, the rules of engagement often change, typically benefiting platform operators while compromising user privacy. Those seeking to protect their data must stay vigilant and take action.

• Starting May 27, 2025, Meta will use data from its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, for AI training, including texts, images, videos, and user interactions in public groups, pages, and channels.
• Consumer Advice Center NRW in Germany has expressed concerns about the short opt-out period of just three days before the data collection commences.
• To protect their data, Facebook and Instagram users should find the opt-out form within the respective platform's logged-in area before May 26, 2025, and disable the option for data use in AI training.

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