Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently made the decision to pause its operations involving the use of data from European users to train its artificial intelligence. This move appears to be a direct response to the criticisms and pressure from consumer and privacy protection organizations in the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA). The controversy began when the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) and the European Center for Digital Rights (Noyb) called into question the legitimacy of Meta’s “legitimate interests” for processing such data.
Initially, Meta had intended to introduce new AI features in Europe, such as personalized stickers for chats and stories, an advanced virtual assistant, stating that it was necessary to reflect the diverse cultures and languages of European communities. However, this proposed method raised concerns about compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Critics were particularly concerned about Meta’s decision to avoid seeking explicit consent from users, instead implementing an opt-out system that would only be in place until June 26. This approach was seen as an attempt to gather as much data as possible before upcoming restrictions were enforced.
Max Schrems, president of Noyb, expressed satisfaction with Meta’s decision to halt these operations but emphasized that legal battle will persist until there are official and binding changes in Meta’s privacy policy to reflect this suspension. The ongoing scrutiny highlights the importance of upholding privacy and data protection regulations in digital age.
