Meta announced it will resume using public content from UK users on Facebook and Instagram to train its AI models. This decision follows a pause in June due to regulatory issues. Users will receive in-app notifications regarding this change in the coming months.
The social media giant believes this training will make its AI models better reflect British culture, history, and language. Meta’s move will also allow it to access millions of user posts, enhancing its products and staying competitive against other AI models.
The decision follows discussions with the ICO after Meta halted its AI training to address regulatory concerns. The ICO has now confirmed that using public data under the legal basis of “Legitimate Interests” is acceptable. This gives Meta the green light to proceed, expecting its AI models to launch in the UK earlier than planned.
Stephen Almond, Executive Director Regulatory Risk at the ICO, stated, “Meta has since [since June] made changes to its approach, including making it simpler for users to object to the processing and providing them with a longer window to do so. Meta has now taken the decision to resume its plans and we will monitor the situation as Meta moves to inform UK users and commence processing in the coming weeks.”
Almond further highlighted, “We have been clear that any organization using its users’ information to train generative AI models needs to be transparent about how people’s data is being used. Organizations should put effective safeguards in place before they start using personal data for model training, including providing a clear and simple route for users to object to the processing. The ICO has not provided regulatory approval for the processing and it is for Meta to ensure and demonstrate ongoing compliance.”
Despite the progress, Meta remains under scrutiny from various regulators over its data handling practices. Particularly, in Europe, the rollout of its Generative AI products remains paused due to ongoing regulatory inquiries.
The evolving regulatory landscape for AI and data privacy continues to shape the strategies of tech giants like Meta. This move marks another milestone in the ongoing dialogue between regulators and major tech firms over the use of personal data for AI training.
