Meta will begin using content shared by adults in the European Union to train its artificial intelligence models after the European Data Protection Board said the company’s approach met its legal requirements.The company plans to train its AI using public content — including public posts and comments shared by adults on its products in the EU — and people’s questions, queries and other interactions with Meta AI, Meta said in a Monday (April 14) blog post.Meta will not use public data from account holders in ...

Core Points - A human rights campaigner, Tanya O'Carroll, has successfully forced Meta to stop using her data for targeted advertising through a legal settlement [1][3] - The settlement is based on U.K. and E.U. data protection laws that grant individuals the right to object to the use of their personal data for direct marketing [2][5] - O'Carroll's case sets a precedent for others to exercise their rights against Meta's data processing practices [3][5] Legal Context - O'Carroll argued that Meta's personalized ads constitute direct marketing, which should be subject to user objections under existing data protection laws [2][5] - Meta claimed that its personalized ads are not direct marketing, but the settlement indicates a shift in the legal landscape regarding data privacy [3][5] - The case highlights the ongoing challenges in enforcing privacy laws against surveillance-based advertising models like Meta's [5][7] Regulatory Environment - The U.K.'s Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) supported O'Carroll's position, suggesting that other users may have stronger grounds for objecting to data processing [8] - Meta has faced numerous GDPR complaints and fines since the regulation came into effect in May 2018, but its core business model remains largely unchanged [6][7] - There are indications that enforcement actions are beginning to impact Meta's operations in Europe [7] Future Implications - O'Carroll anticipates that Meta may adopt a "pay or consent" model in the U.K., similar to its approach in the E.U., requiring users to either consent to data tracking or pay for ad-free services [9] - The specifics of the tracking-free access provided to O'Carroll remain undisclosed, but she confirmed that she will not incur any costs [9]