Meta, the tech giant behind platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has sparked controversy with a recent, significant change to its privacy policy. Since late June, user data from these platforms, including posts, comments, photos, and videos, has been repurposed for training the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) models.
This shift was enacted without prior notice or explanation to users, leaving millions in the Western Balkans unaware of the changes introduced on June 26th. The updated privacy policy, which was quietly rolled out, now includes provisions for utilizing publicly shared content for developing new AI services capable of generating text, sound, images, and videos.
The new policy represents a crucial update in the terms of service between Meta and its users. It outlines how the company collects and processes user data, specifically targeting publicly shared content such as profile information, comments, and multimedia.
Legal expert Felix Mikolasch has raised concerns about the implications of Meta’s policy shift. He highlights two main issues: the lack of user consent for the use of their data in AI training and the vague description of the AI models being developed. According to Mikolasch, the policy allows Meta to use data for unspecified AI purposes, lacking transparency about how this data will be utilized.
This development underscores the need for greater clarity and user consent in data usage policies, as Meta continues to expand its AI capabilities using vast amounts of user-generated content.
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