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DATA PROTECTION CONCERNS have been raised after Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta announced it will soon start using its users’ posts and photos to train its Artificial Intelligence products and services.
Users of the social media platforms are automatically opted in to consent to this. While they have the option of opting out, they must go through a number of steps to do so, which has raised concerns among data privacy advocates and experts.
Many users of Meta products will have gotten a notification informing them that as of 26 June the company will be expanding its “AI at Meta experiences”, including Meta AI an AI creative tools.
“To help bring these experiences to you, we’ll now rely on the legal basis called legitimate interests for using your information to develop and improve AI at Meta.”
The notification says users have a right to object to how their information is used for these purposes, and that “if your objection is honoured, it will be applied going forwards”.
If a user objects, they must click on the link in the notification and fill out a form explaining why they object to their data being used in this way. They must then check their email address to provide a confirmation code before their objection is lodged.
“Currently they’re throwing up a consent form. But the consent form doesn’t say, ‘yes I approve’. It’s fill in this form if you don’t approve. So it’s an opt out form,” said Simon McGarr, a solicitor and director of Data Compliance Europe.
“Unless you fill that in that you’ve consented to their legitimate interest use of your data. Now, I don’t think that’s valid because people’s data in Meta and Facebook is likely a mix of what is known and personal data and sensitive personal data.
And sensitive personal data cannot be processed on foot of legitimate interest.
McGarr said this was covered under Article 9 of GDPR legislation. He said that the Data Protection Commissioner should intervene in the matter.
“You must have a lawful legal basis to process data, and this is definitely data processing it will include personal data but it will also include sensitive personal data,” he said.
Any posts that discuss sexual orientation or medical conditions, for example, would be considered sensitive personal data, and McGarr said Meta is not legally able to process these under legitimate interest, due to GDPR legislation.
In a statement, the Data Protection Commissioner:
“Meta delayed the launch following a number enquiries from the DPC which have been addressed. Meta is now giving users a jewel notification, additional transparency measures (AI privacy centre articles), a dedicated objection mechanism, 4 weeks from notification to users to date of initial training so there is now a time between notification and training.
“Meta has advised the DPC that only that personal data (posts not comments) shared by users based in the EU to a public audience on Instagram and Facebook at the time of training will be used and that this will not include personal data from accounts belonging to users under 18.
The DPC has also shared this and more information with our EDPB colleagues as our engagement with Meta has progressed.
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Did you genuinely write an article saying you can get messenger on a computer?
But did you know it existed? I didn’t.
I often read posts here about journal having weak stories and think what a bunch of moaners. But now seriously, journal you can’t publish an article about a ‘little known app like messenger’. Everyone uses messenger and there’s not much need for a tutorial on a news site
Always on the cutting edge of new technology eh journal? Not really.
Did no one know about this?
Young persons of my acquaintance made me aware of this some time ago. However, since I’ve no interest in Facebook (or Facebook lite) the information wasn’t much use to me.
i use this in work and i also use whatsapp web which is also very good and also owned by Facebook
Being an auld one (in terms of tech) I hadn’t a clue what this was. So you’re going to get at least one thank you anyway for writing this article ;)
Oh my good God, is B for blather
If Facebook is banned so is messenger
Firefox has an add on that disables your news feed. Very useful as the news feed had turned to crap with adverts and posts from people I don’t know and you can still post happy birthday to friends’ walls etc. Just no more stupid posts.
That would be all of them then.
Yeah, why not let face book data mine your personal relationships.
It’s an essential part of modern life?
A post about facebook? Pitchforks out. I didn’t know about this myself, surprisingly. Gotta find out about it somewhere I guess.
Jeez I’m 68 and I’ve been using messenger to chat with almost all my acquaintances for a year now ! Little known ! Like Brennan’s Bread ! Of course you must have a Facebook account…. And real butter for the Brennan’s !
I would rate this a good as Skype if not better
What the f did I just read , really ? I want my 20 seconds back
Hi Rob, Did you know that ALL businesses can now support their customers via Facebook Live Chat directly on their websites with Zotabox’s easy to use integration tool? http://bit.ly/fb10001. Messenger is ubiquitous, free and easy to use and both parties have a permanent chat history.
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