On June 26, 2024 Facebook will change its privacy policy with regard to generative AI features such as Meta AI. From that point on, posts and photos from all users will be read by the AI to help train them and improve services such as the AI Creative Tool. Meta is currently providing information about this on Facebook.
Private messages will not be affected, only public texts and images. Nevertheless, many users may be sceptical about this new regulation due to data protection concerns or for personal reasons.
Meta emphasizes that every user has the “right to object.” We explain below how you can object to the use of your data.
What do the new Facebook guidelines mean?
Firstly, an explanation of the specific consequences of the policy. Anyone who does not lodge an objection automatically consents to the use of their data by Meta. This means that Meta may use all information shared with the public to feed and train its AI models with the data. This is intended to teach the AIs to generate better texts and images.
The following content is then affected:
- Public posts on Facebook
- Posted photos and captions
- Messages to AI chatbots from Facebook
Meta cites “legitimate interest” as the legal basis for the new regulation and therefore assumes that the use of the data will help both the company and the user. For example, by enabling Facebook to make better suggestions or improve services such as the AI Creative Tool. AI can also be used to moderate posts on Facebook.
Whether you also see these improvements as an advantage and want to help train Meta’s AI services is up to you.
How do I object to the new policy?
In order to prevent your data from being used by Meta, you must expressly object. This can be done using a specific form that can be found on this Facebook help page.
Enter your place of residence, your email address, and a reason for the objection. Possible reasons could be concerns about data protection, a general concern about the use of AI, or the belief that the use of your data will be helpful neither for Meta nor for you as a user.
Meta is obliged to review the objection and assess it in accordance with applicable data protection laws. But beware: Even if the objection is upheld, Facebook may still use a small portion of your data for AI training, for example when other people share content from you or mention you in posts.
The use of user data for AI training was already foreseeable toward the end of last year. However, the new regulations are now coming into effect for the first time. You still have until the end of June to submit an objection in order to be exempt.
Further reading: I changed these 11 Facebook settings, and you should too
This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.
Author: Laura Pippig, Staff Writer, PC-WELT
Laura is an enthusiastic gamer as well as a movie and TV fan. After studying communication science, she went straight into a job at PCMagazin and Connect Living. Since then, she has been writing about everything to do with PCs and technology topics, and has been a permanent editor at our German sister site PC-WELT since May 2024.