Starting today, Meta will begin training its AI model. To do so, the company is using publicly available content from adult users in Europe. Naturally, this is something most people aren’t very happy about. The Dutch Data Protection Authority has already warned Meta users to object to this data collection in a timely manner. Have you objected yet? Today is your last chance to do so!
What data will Meta use?
Meta collects public posts, images, and comments from Facebook and Instagram to train its AI models. Data from private chats is, of course, not used, according to Meta. WhatsApp messages sent to Meta’s AI bot are also not included in the training process. The data collection process for the AI models began on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Meta’s goal is to use user data to build a high-quality generative AI. To do this, the model first needs a large amount of data.
Does this violate privacy laws?
According to Meta itself, this does not violate privacy laws. The company explains that this is because it does not include private messages in its data collection and does not use content from users under the age of 18 to train its generative AI. Nevertheless, this does involve personal content that people do not post online with the expectation that it will be used for something they have not explicitly consented to. For this reason, the Dutch Data Protection Authority takes a different view and is warning users about this.
What can you do about it?
Do you object to Meta using your personal photos and text to train artificial intelligence? Users who do not want this and do not wish to give their consent had to submit an opt-out request via special web forms on both Facebook and Instagram before the data collection start date. The start date is today, so if you haven’t done this yet, you can still do it quickly today. Even after the deadline has passed, you can still fill out the forms. However, according to the AP, there is no guarantee that your data hasn’t already been used if you indicate after the deadline that you do not consent.
It's not the first time…
This isn’t the first time Meta has tried to use public data for its AI models. They tried it last year as well, but back then they were reprimanded by European regulators and the plans were scrapped. Or at least postponed, as it now turns out. The reason it’s being allowed this time is that Meta is giving users the chance to opt out. So, if you don’t want Meta to use your data for their artificial intelligence, be sure to fill out the forms quickly—both on Facebook and Instagram!