Irish regulators are interrupting Meta’s plans to use data from Facebook and Instagram users to train the AI model it plans to roll out in the EU.
It looks like the EU, historically a tough data-privacy regulator (GDPR anyone?), will be tough sledding for Meta as it seeks to use its vast resource of user-generated data to train the AI model.
Meta revealed this week that it will pause its EU AI rollout for now after Irish privacy regulators told Meta to cease using data from Facebook and Instagram users to train its model.
The decision may have just been a final signal that the European privacy regulatory environment just isn’t conducive to Meta rolling out Meta AI in Europe right now.
Hands Off My Get Off My Lawn Post
For example, according to media reports, the European privacy advocacy group NOYB has been complaining about Meta’s AI practices to data protection regulators across Europe.
NOYB argued that Meta was seeking to train Meta AI on personal data used without users’ consent. Meta on the other hand has insisted it will only use publicly available and licensed online information.
At issue is whether the “publicly available” content Meta refers to is just private data being used without consent.
Late last week, Ireland’s Data Privacy Commission said the following.
“The DPC welcomes the decision by Meta to pause its plans to train its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram across the EU/EEA. This decision followed intensive engagement between the DPC and Meta. The DPC, in cooperation with its fellow EU data protection authorities, will continue to engage with Meta on this issue.”
Meta, on the other hand, expressed frustration in a statement last week.
“We’re disappointed by the request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), our lead regulator, on behalf of the European DPAs [data protection authorities] … particularly since we incorporated regulatory feedback and the European DPAs have been informed since March.”
A History of Beefs
So Ireland’s DPC has been at odds with Meta for a while now.
For example, last May the DPC fined Meta 1.2 billion euros for “unlawfully transferring personal data to the U.S.”
In December, the DPC imposed a ban on Meta Ireland. Why? For “the unlawful processing of personal data for behavioral advertising purposes.”
The European privacy battle seems to be shifting. It’s moving from cookies to social media content.
We will see who wins in the end. Will it be regulators, consumers, big tech? Or maybe no one?
