How to « oppose » to the use of our data on Instagram and Facebook to train Meta Ai: the guide

Meta Ai has landed on our smartphones last March. THE’Generative Artificial Intelligence of Mark Zuckerberg It is not a choice: it cannot be deactivated. His presence is immediately visible on WhatsAppwhere the shaded circle between the blue and the purple in the list of chats was welcomed with a little curiosity but also some discomfort. It cannot be removed, but You can choose whether to use it or not. Both in the messaging app and on Instagram And Facebookit is a tool designed to be able to ask general questions but also to be able to help us, for example, in the search for some specific contents within the social network we are using. Another choice we have available concerns our data. Because destination ai, for trainingcan use the information that we have shared with the Meta services over the years. Posts and states on Facebook, Reel and Stories on Instagram. They are an exception WhatsApp and Messenger, where chats are protected by end-to-end encryption And So our communications are not visible even by the company that conveys them. If we do nothing, Meta will be able to exploit all the contents we have posted and give them to meta ai. If we don’t want this to happen, we must do something instead. And we have to do it quickly because There is a deadline In order to enjoy what is called « right of opposition»And it is fixed at the end May. So he declared the Italian Privacy Guarantorbut the date has been anticipated and is shown in the Meta modules: it is possible to oppose by May 27th. Otherwise, the opposition will no longer be retroactive, but it will only be worth shared data at a later time.

The troubled arrival of Meta Ai in Europe

Meta Ai was launched on the American market in 2023. Here the release was delayed by several months: it was scheduled for June 2024, but the failure to comply with European regulations – and in particular with the GDPRthe law on the protection of personal data – has forced destination to postpone it. More than anything else to understand which strategy to adopt to avoid penalties and potential blocks from the European authorities. A first taste We had it on its functionality on Ray-Ban Metathe glasses that Zuckerberg produces together with Essilorluxottica. It was more than anything else a voice assistant to help us in the management of the device itself (Today you can do much more and we explained it here). The main knot to be dissolved concerned precisely the training of artificial intelligence and data that are usedor the contents that we shared on the company’s social networks (Instagram and Facebook) and our preferences that over the years we have declared, more or less explicitly. Are fundamental data because allow the chatbot to have a different cultural context from the American one. Without this information, his answers referred to be little relevant to the questions that are asked by users based on our continent. On the other hand, the Irish commission for data protection (DPC) – which would be the privacy guarantor of the European country responsible for watching on goal as it is in Ireland that the company has its European office – had asked a stop to this collection after 11 complaints by the NOYB non -profit association (None of Your Business) which deals with the protection of consumers’ rights. According to the Association – and according to the EU authorities – the GDPR was not respected and therefore the privacy of us users. Meta’s response, developed in recent months, has been that of Place the users themselves in front of a choice On what to do with your data.

Opt-in and opt-out

By the end of May it is possible « Oppo » the use of our data to train Meta Ai. The Italian Privacy Guarantor stressed the importance of this decisionwhich can be made by sending an integrated module on the two Meta, Instagram and Facebook social networks. It is a so -called « opt-out»: The service is activated automatically and, in retrospect, we can ask that we are excluded. On the contrary, European regulations usually require to adapt to « opt-in » practices: The data cannot be collected unless I give explicit consent (a bit like it happens with cookies, for example). Meta, however, stated that, in this case, the « opt-out » is legally admitted thanks to the legal base of the « Legal interest » foreseen byArticle 6 of the GDPR. The legitimate interest is Amesso in cases where a company must process personal data for concrete needs: to prevent fraud, guarantee the security of the network, guarantee the functioning of the service itself. There are different doubts and controversies On the fact that the training of destination can actually fall within this specific. So that it can make use of it, however, destination to have had to inform users – and it happened through notifications and in -app banners – e give users the opportunity to make « opt out »or to exercise their right of opposition and exclude their data from training. The links to access the form I am This for Facebook, This for Instagram And this for those who have no account But wishes to secure specific personal information appeared on social media. In addition to the links, it is possible Find the dedicated sections directly in the apps on smartphones. And below we indicate the path, as not particularly intuitive to follow.

How to oppose the use of data by goal on Facebook

On Facebook you have to access the settings menu, click on the profile photo, then scroll down to «Privacy Center». A new window will open where, right at the beginning, reference is made to Meta Ai. Here it is written «You have the right to oppose the use of your information for these purposes». Click on the Link to the word « Opporti ». And here is finally the form: you have to enter your email address (it will already be completed if we are logged in) and then it is required to explain « what impact has this data processing on you ». An explanation – it is specified – which is optional. Finally, click on «send». The confirmation window has a rather confused message: « This means that your request will be applied from now on to the development and improvement of the AI ​​in Meta. You will receive an e-mail with details ». After about 24 hours, a notifications will arrive, confirming the « opposition reception ».

How to oppose the use of data by destination ai on Instagram

Here too you have to access the settings, clicking on the symbol of the three lines at the top right on your profile page. We must then look for the Privacy Section: Scroll to the end, in the part « Greater information and assistance», Click on«Information » and then « Privacy Policy». We are again in our form for the right of opposition. As on Facebook, Late on the link « Right of opposition », insert the email, if you want the motivation and then press « Send ».

« Third party information »

With regard to The third modulethat « For third party information to use for the AI ​​di Meta», It is used to send requests regarding information that concern us but that have been shared by other users. They include, explain, « public domain data on the internet and information under license by someone who has the rights and authorizes destination to use them ». The form requires concrete examples of using this information from Meta Aiasks to provide prompts used and screenshots. This module can be useful later, if we find data concerning us in a chatbot response.