ANPD halts Meta’s plan to utilize Brazilian social media for AI
Key Insights:
- Brazil halts Meta’s use of social media data for AI, protecting the privacy of 102 million Facebook and 113 million Instagram users.
- ANPD enforces strict data protection, giving Meta five days to revise its privacy policy or face daily fines.
- Concerns over children’s data usage prompt Brazil to demand higher safeguards, contrasting with Meta’s European policies.
Brazil has issued a decisive block on Meta’s initiative to utilize Brazilians’ social media posts from Instagram and Facebook to train its artificial intelligence models. This action follows similar measures in the UK and Europe, where Meta abandoned plans to leverage user posts for AI development.
Regulatory Intervention by ANPD
On Tuesday, Brazil’s national data protection agency (ANPD) immediately suspended Meta’s updated privacy policy. This policy would have allowed Meta to use public posts from its users to train generative AI models, including chatbots. The ANPD cited “imminent risk of serious and irreparable damage” to the fundamental rights of the affected account holders as the primary reason for the intervention.
Meta, in response, expressed disappointment with the ANPD’s decision. A company spokesperson stated that Meta’s approach complies with local privacy laws and argued that the block represents a setback for AI innovation and competition in Brazil. Meta has a substantial user base in the country, with 102 million Facebook users and over 113 million Instagram users.
Compliance Deadline and Potential Penalties
The ANPD has given Meta a five-day window to amend its privacy policy, excluding the use of personal information from public posts for AI training. Failure to comply within this timeframe will result in a daily fine of R$50,000 (approximately £6,935). This swift regulatory action underscores the ANPD’s commitment to protecting personal data and privacy rights in the digital age.
Meta’s planned use of posts from children and teenagers in Brazil to train its AI models is a significant point of contention. According to Pedro Martins from Data Privacy Brasil, this approach contrasts sharply with Meta’s European policies, where posts from users under 18 are excluded from AI training datasets. The ANPD’s findings indicated potential breaches of Brazil’s data protection laws, as personal data from minors could be collected and utilized without adequate safeguards.
Martins highlighted the discrepancy in data protection measures between Brazilian and European users, suggesting a need for uniformity in Meta’s global data practices. He also noted that the process for Brazilian users to opt out of having their posts used for AI training is considerably more cumbersome, requiring up to eight steps compared to a more streamlined process in Europe.
Global Scrutiny and Policy Delays
Meta’s updated privacy policy has been under scrutiny in Brazil, the UK, and the European Union (EU). Initially set to take effect on June 26 in Europe, the policy faced a halt following a request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), acting on behalf of other European stakeholders. This delay, announced by Meta on June 14, was seen by the company as a setback for AI progress in Europe.
The European policy would have allowed Meta to use publicly shared posts, images, comments, and Stories from users over 18 to improve its AI products. However, private messages were excluded from this scope. Despite the postponement in Europe, Meta decided to proceed with similar policy changes in Brazil, which now face regulatory challenges.
Meta’s Next Steps
Due to ANPD’s suspension, Meta must quickly revise its privacy policy to align with Brazil’s data protection requirements. The company must demonstrate its compliance within the specified five days to avoid financial penalties. This development adds to Meta’s growing regulatory pressures regarding data usage and privacy in AI training.
Editorial credit: Ascannio / Shutterstock.com
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