Meta’s decision to train its AI models on social media posts from its sites Facebook and Instagram poses ethical questions about the data ingested into AI, warned GlobalData analyst Emma Christy.
In a blog post, Meta explained that it would begin to train its AI models to recognise colloquial language and local references from public social media posts made on its sites by European users.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The social media giant stated that its AI models would not be trained on personal data, but instead to recognise speech patterns used frequently in the online sphere.
Meta confirmed that it would not be training its AI models on private messages or data from users under 18.
The company stated that training its AI models on social media posts made by Europeans would help its AI serve European users more accurately, enabling its AI to understand linguistic and cultural differences between European countries.
Meta said, in a blog post, that it was not the first technology company to train an AI model this way, stating that both Google and OpenAI had also trained their AI models on European user data.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataGlobalData analyst, Emma Christy, stated that Meta’s decision to train its AI on user data from social media still posed significant ethical questions about privacy and consent, regardless of whether other companies had used similar training data.
Christy particularly focused on Meta’s decision to use an opt-out scheme for its social media users rather than an opt-in.
“Having adopted an opt-out system, Meta users may not know how their data is being used, creating challenges in maintaining transparency and accountability,” she said.
“Instead of asking users for their consent (opt-in), Meta argues that it has a legitimate interest that overrides European users’ fundamental right to data protection and privacy,” she added.
Christy stated that using opt-out could shift the responsibility of consent onto its users. “Users must detail personal reasons in an objection form that can only be reached through several clicks and an additional login. The business implications for Meta could include increased regulatory scrutiny and diminishing consumer confidence,” she added.
