Finally, Meta will not use your data to train its AI, its project is suspended in Europe

The technology firm Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has finally given up using data published by its European users to train its artificial intelligence. This decision was welcomed by regulators, but criticized by the social media giant.

The legal battle rages between Meta and European data protection authorities. The American company planned to use its users’ publications on Facebook and Instagram to power its artificial intelligence systems.

However, following heavy criticism and a complaint from a privacy group, Meta was forced to suspend this project in the European Union. A major setback for the behemoth, which sees its ambitions for innovation in the field of AI curbed by regulators.

Meta in turmoil: exploitation of personal data and controversy

The initial idea seemed attractive to Meta: using publications posted online by its European users to train its artificial intelligence. Texts, photos, videos, any content shared publicly on Facebook and Instagram could have been used for this purpose. According to the company, this initiative would have made it possible to offer an improved experience to Internet users.

However, this announcement quickly caused controversy. The European association NOYB (None of Your Business), spearheading the defense of privacy on the Old Continent, has denounced a flagrant violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Its founder, Max Schrems, protested against this “ massive collection of personal data without explicit user consent “.

The protests then spread to social networks, where a protest movement took shape. An influential Instagrammer notably published a tutorial detailing the procedure for opposing the use of his data by Meta. In a few days, thousands of European Internet users followed his advice, demanding that the Californian giant preserve their privacy.

Meta is forced to back down, but remains bitter

Jean who laughs Jean who cries. In a laconic press release published as an update, Mark Zuckerberg’s company announced the suspension of its project to exploit European data for training its artificial intelligences.

Meta expresses its disappointment with the request from European regulators to delay the training of its AI models with public data from Facebook and Instagram. The company believes this decision hampers innovation and competition in AI in Europe. Although convinced of the conformity of its approach, Meta is forced to suspend the launch of its AI assistant in Europe. Without the ” local information », Meta claims to only be able to offer a second-rate experience. The company will continue the dialogue with regulators to allow Europeans to benefit from the same innovation as the rest of the world.

This decision was welcomed by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), the main regulator of Meta on the Old Continent, on its website:

The DPC welcomes Meta’s decision to suspend plans to train its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram across the EU/EEA. This decision follows intensive engagement between the DPC and Meta. The DPC, in cooperation with its fellow European data protection authorities, will continue to collaborate with Meta on this issue.

If Meta assures that it wants to continue the dialogue with regulators, this setback illustrates the growing tensions between the tech giants and European legal safeguards regarding the protection of personal data. A standoff that is only just beginning, arbitrated by the GDPR.

Sources: The Verge, The world, Data Protection Commission, Facebook