Concerns Over Meta’s A.I. Data Scraping on Instagram and Facebook
Social media users have expressed concerns over Meta’s decision to utilize public posts on Instagram and Facebook to train its artificial intelligence. Despite the backlash, the scraping has already begun. Here’s what you need to know.
Meta recently notified European users of Facebook and Instagram that their public posts could be used to train its A.I., including its chatbot and other services, starting on June 26. Meanwhile, in the United States, public posts are already being utilized for this purpose.
Last month, Meta announced its plans to expand its A.I. services globally and informed European users about the use of their public information for training purposes. The notifications sent to European users sparked privacy concerns and criticism, leaving many wondering where this policy change would be implemented next.
For users in the U.S., where online privacy regulations are less stringent, Meta’s A.I. has been utilizing public posts to train its services. The company has not disclosed where else this program might be expanded.
Privacy advocates have raised alarms about data usage and the lack of transparency regarding Meta’s intentions with users’ information. Despite this, Meta asserts that it is in compliance with privacy laws and that the data collected will enhance services for users in specific regions.
Learn more about Meta’s A.I. chatbot and discover how you can choose to opt out of sharing your information.
Meta’s chatbot serves as its equivalent to ChatGPT, offering smart assistant software powered by artificial intelligence on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. It can be utilized in feeds, chat functions, and search features. Similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Apple’s Siri, or Amazon’s Alexa, Meta A.I. is programmed to respond to a wide range of user queries.
For instance, when asked about the greatest tennis player of all time, Meta A.I. responded with a diplomatic answer, acknowledging the debate while highlighting players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
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