Meta’s Complaints: Regulations Ruining Our AI Bot

MetaversePlanet June 20, 2024Last Updated: June 20, 2024

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Meta, facing renewed scrutiny from privacy regulators, has decided to suspend its artificial intelligence bot plans in Europe.

Recently, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) requested that Meta delay training its large language models on publicly posted content from Facebook and Instagram profiles. Meta expressed disappointment with this request in a blog post, highlighting their incorporation of regulatory feedback since March and communication with European Data Protection Authorities.

The company has recently started informing European users about data collection and offering an opt-out option in compliance with European Privacy Laws. Meta stated its commitment to continued cooperation with the DPC, but also emphasized that its competitors are already utilizing European data, which could weaken its own tools if they are not allowed to do the same.

“We need local data”

In the blog post, Meta stated, “Simply put, we cannot provide people with a first-rate experience without incorporating local knowledge. This means that we cannot launch Meta AI in Europe at this time.” As a result, the company paused its work, a decision welcomed by European regulators.

The DPC’s request follows the actions of a group called NYOB, which filed 11 separate complaints against Meta. NYOB founder Max Schrems commented on the situation, stating, “Meta is basically saying that it can use any data from any source for any purpose, and make it accessible to anyone in the world as long as it is offered through artificial intelligence technology. This is clearly the opposite of GDPR compliance.”