Meta to Train AI on E.U. User Data From May 27 Without Consent; Noyb Threatens Lawsuit
May 15, 2025
AI Training / Data Protection
Austrian privacy non-profit noyb (none of your business) has sent Meta's Irish headquarters a cease-and-desist letter, threatening the company with a class action lawsuit if it proceeds with its plans to train users' data for training its artificial intelligence (AI) models without an explicit opt-in. The move comes weeks after the social media behemoth announced its plans to train its AI models using public data shared by adults across Facebook and Instagram in the European Union (E.U.) starting May 27, 2025, after it paused the efforts in June 2024 following concerns raised by Irish data protection authorities. "Instead of asking consumers for opt-in consent, Meta relies on an alleged 'legitimate interest' to just suck up all user data," noyb said in a statement. "Meta may face massive legal risks – just because it relies on an 'opt-out' instead of an 'opt-in' system for AI training." The advocacy group further noted that Met...