Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has decided to put a hold on its plans to use personal data for training its artificial intelligence technology in Europe. This decision came after facing privacy complaints from a privacy campaign group based in Vienna, which filed complaints in 11 European countries against Meta. The group, known as the European Center for Digital Rights or Noyb (“None of Your Business”), raised concerns about the unlawful use of personal data by Meta to train an unspecified type of current and future AI technology.
The complaints against Meta were triggered by a recent announcement in which the company disclosed a change in its privacy policy set to take effect on June 26. According to Noyb, Meta intended to utilize all public and non-public user data collected since 2007 for its AI technology. As a result, the group urged data protection authorities in the 11 European countries to intervene and investigate Meta’s new privacy policy before it became enforceable in late June.
In response to the complaints and concerns raised by Noyb, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued a statement acknowledging Meta’s decision to pause its plans for training its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram across the EU/EEA. The DPC stated that it had engaged extensively with Meta on this matter and would continue to collaborate with other EU data protection authorities.
“We welcome this development, but will monitor this closely. So far there is no official change of the Meta privacy policy, which would make this commitment legally binding,” said Max Schrems, the founder of Noyb. He emphasized that the cases filed by Noyb against Meta are ongoing and await a determination, highlighting the group’s commitment to upholding data protection regulations.
Noyb has a history of initiating legal actions against major technology companies, leading to regulatory scrutiny and enforcement. Since its establishment in 2018 with the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, Noyb has been at the forefront of challenging privacy violations and advocating for stronger protection of individuals’ personal data. The group’s efforts have not only raised awareness about data privacy issues but also compelled companies like Meta to reassess their practices and policies in line with regulatory standards.
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