Meta Expands Public Use of European Data to Advance Artificial Intelligence

Tech
By 24matins.uk,  published 27 May 2025 at 7h13, updated on 27 May 2025 at 7h13.
Tech

Meta is expanding its use of publicly available European data to train and improve its artificial intelligence technologies. The move comes as the tech giant seeks to strengthen its AI capabilities while navigating regional privacy regulations and growing scrutiny from EU authorities.

Tl;dr

  • Meta uses European users’ public data for AI training.
  • Only adult accounts are affected, minors excluded.
  • Opt-out process available via privacy settings.

    • A New Phase for Meta’s AI Ambitions

    In a move that is already sparking debate across the continent, Meta has announced a significant expansion in the way it harnesses European users’ public data to fuel its burgeoning generative artificial intelligence models. Now, virtually anything shared publicly on Facebook and Instagram—from profile photos and posts to stories and comments—may be used to help train these powerful systems. The notable exception in this policy remains WhatsApp, which will not be included in this sweep. This initiative comes only two months after Meta’s latest AI tools entered the scene, underlining just how rapidly the company is moving in this domain.

    Who Is Affected?

    It is important to highlight that not all accounts will be swept up in this broad data net. Specifically, only those aged eighteen and older will see their public content potentially harnessed for AI training by the Californian giant. Accounts belonging to minors are expressly excluded—a measure seemingly designed to remain within the boundaries of strict European regulations protecting younger users. This limitation addresses some concerns, but questions around privacy for adult users remain very much alive.

    For those uneasy with their digital footprint being used in this fashion, there remains a clear—if somewhat buried—option to decline participation. Users who prefer not to have their public content involved can follow a straightforward process within their account settings. The approach is consistent across both platforms:

  • On Instagram: Navigate through the main menu to the « Centre de confidentialité », select the blue « opposer » link, submit your email address and confirm via the verification message you’ll receive.
    On Facebook: Go to « Paramètres et confidentialité », then access the « Centre de confidentialité » before completing similar steps.

    • Once submitted, an email confirmation signals that your request has been processed.

    While such use of public data is not entirely new territory for tech companies, the latest move from Meta places questions of digital consent at center stage once again. Each adult user now faces a decision: contribute their online activity towards advancing AI models, or exercise their right—and arguably responsibility—to object. As technology continues its relentless march forward, these choices only grow more significant and more complex.