Saying No to Meta AI: Hide Your Info or Object Now!
Unauthorized Action but with the Right to Protest: No Prior Approval Given - Unauthorized access without the possibility of protest
Starting May 27, Meta plans to use European users' content for training its AI, including posts, comments, profile data, and images from Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp. Here's what you should know and how to protect your data.
Meta doesn't need your consent. Instead, they're relying on the "legitimate interest" clause under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To keep your data private, you have to actively object by May 26, 2025. After that date, published content can still be used for AI training.
Objecting on Facebook
To object, navigate to your Facebook profile, choose "Settings and Privacy", then "Settings". In the "Privacy Policy" section, you'll find a subtle reference to the objection right. Click it, and the form will open. Just fill it out and submit.
Instagram Users Must also Object
To object on Instagram, start from your profile and select "Settings and Activities", then "Info". Find the privacy policy link and click it. The objection link is hidden within the text, so look closely. Once you click, a form will appear, just confirm it.
Important: You need to object separately for both platforms, as objecting on Facebook won't prevent the use of your Instagram data – and vice versa.
WhatsApp and Meta AI
WhatsApp doesn't contain public content, but Meta AI is involved here. Future blue circles in the chat overview indicate new AI functions. Interacting with these circles allows your content to be processed, but Meta claims private messages will remain untouched outside of such interactions. You can find the objection form on the Meta website, but it's not easy to find.
Consumer Protection Warning
The Consumer Center North Rhine-Westphalia has already warned Meta over the lack of transparency in data processing and complicated access to objection forms. Complicated processes, long texts, and hidden links make it challenging for many to exercise their rights.
Take Action Now
If you don't want Meta to use your personal content for AI purposes, act now. File your objection before May 26, 2025, for each account separately: Facebook, Instagram, and possibly WhatsApp. Missing the deadline means Meta can permanently use all publicly available content for AI training, and subsequent blocking is impossible.
Important Enrichment:- To object to Meta using your data for AI training on Facebook and Instagram, you can use the following steps: 1. Access the objection form: - Go to help.instagram.com/contact/767264225370182 and log in with your account credentials. 2. Enter your email address associated with your Meta account and submit the form before May 26, 2025.
- The Commission has also been involved in the preparation of the European Commission's communication on the European Union's strategy for the environment, focusing on preventing the misuse of data-and-cloud-computing technology in policy-and-legislation and politics, especially concerning general news about Facebook's questionable data practices.
- As the deadline approaching for European users to object to Meta's plan to use their content for training its AI, confirming and prompting users to take action now is crucial to protect their personal data from being misused.
- Additionally, given the complications faced by users when exercising their right to object to Meta's data processing, it is time for the European Commission to strengthen regulations to ensure a simpler, more transparent, and user-friendly process in the prevention of data misuse.
- Furthermore, with the continued development of technology and artificial intelligence, it remains essential to implement stricter data policies within politics and legislation to promote responsible use, transparency, and users' rights to their own data.
- Lastly, Facebook's lack of transparency in data usage and the hidden links to the objection forms have sparked a call for action from the Consumer Center North Rhine-Westphalia, prompting the European Commission to consider creating clearer and more accessible guidelines for users to protect their data in the face of advanced technology and policy-and-legislation challenges.
