TLDR:
- Meta received approval from EU regulators to train AI models using public data from adult users
- Public posts, comments, and interactions with Meta AI will be used for training, but private messages and data from minors are excluded
- EU users will be notified and given an opt-out option through a form
- The company had paused AI training last year after privacy concerns raised by Irish regulators
- Meta says this approach follows similar practices by Google and OpenAI in the European market
Meta has announced that it will resume training its artificial intelligence models using public data shared by adult users across its platforms in the European Union. This comes after nearly a year of paused operations due to data protection concerns from Irish regulators.
The social media giant will begin collecting public posts, comments, and interactions with Meta AI from adult users on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger for AI training purposes. The company emphasized that private messages between friends and family members will remain off-limits, as will any data from accounts belonging to users under 18 years of age.
EU users can expect to receive notifications this week through both in-app alerts and emails. These notifications will explain what types of data Meta plans to use and why this collection matters for improving AI systems and overall user experience.
Opt-Out Options Available
For those concerned about their data being used, Meta has promised an easily accessible opt-out mechanism. Users will find a link to a form where they can object to their public data being collected for AI training purposes. The company has committed to honoring all objection forms it has already received, along with any newly submitted ones.
“This training will better support millions of people and businesses in Europe, by teaching our generative AI models to better understand and reflect their cultures, languages, and history,” Meta stated in its announcement.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) recently approved Meta’s approach, confirming that it meets legal obligations under the EU’s data protection laws. This regulatory green light enables Meta to move forward with its AI training plans in the region.
Meta launched its AI assistant in the European Union last month across its major platforms. The company points out that it’s following similar practices already established by competitors like Google and OpenAI, who have also used European user data to train and fine-tune their AI models.
Privacy Concerns and Regulatory History
The resumption of AI training activities follows a challenging regulatory period for Meta in Europe. Last July, the company delayed its AI training plans after privacy advocacy group None of Your Business filed complaints in 11 European countries. These complaints alleged that Meta’s privacy policy changes would have allowed the company to use years of personal posts, private images, and online tracking data to train its AI products.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (IDPC) subsequently requested that Meta pause its rollout until a proper review could be conducted. Meta says it has now engaged “constructively with the IDPC” and received permission from EU data protection regulators.
Other tech giants have faced similar scrutiny in the region. The Irish data regulator opened a cross-border investigation into Google Ireland Limited last September to determine whether the company followed EU data protection laws while developing its AI models. X (formerly Twitter) agreed to stop using personal data from EU users for training its AI chatbot Grok after facing regulatory pressure.
The EU launched its AI Act in August 2024, establishing a legal framework for the technology that includes provisions for data quality, security, and privacy. This emerging regulatory landscape continues to shape how tech companies develop and train their AI models using user data in European markets.
Meta believes that diverse training data is essential for its AI models to understand the “incredible and diverse nuances and complexities that make up European communities,” including dialects, colloquialisms, and cultural context like humor and sarcasm.
