Home How to stop Meta training its AI using your Facebook data

How to stop Meta training its AI using your Facebook data

TL:DR

  • Meta uses Instagram and Facebook content for AI training, automatically opting in all users.
  • Users can opt out via the AI training notification or directly through a provided link.
  • Non-users' info can be used if shared by others, even if they don't have Meta accounts.

Content shared on Meta’s social media platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, is being used for the company’s AI training.

Instagram and Facebook users should have recently received a notification informing them that their content, including posts and photos, will be being used to train Meta’s AI products and services. This is an automatic opt-in but users can opt out if they want.

“We also use information shared on Meta’s Products and services,” writes Meta on the Gen AI privacy page This information could be things such as posts or photos and their captions.”

“Even if you don’t use our Products and services or have an account, we may still process information about you to develop and improve AI at Meta.”

That means that, even if you don’t have a Facebook or Instagram profile, if someone else shares your image or information about you there, it will still be used to train Meta’s AI systems.

How to opt out of Meta’s AI training on Facebook

If you don’t want your information and data being used for Meta’s AI products, such as the recently launched Meta AI assistant, there is a way to opt out. If you got a notification about AI training on your Facebook profile, click through on the notification and then on ‘right to object’. Otherwise, you can also click directly through via this link.

From there, you need to fill out your country of residence, email, and the reason you don’t want Meta using your information for AI training. This can be as simple as writing: ‘I don’t want my data used.’

Once sent off, you should get a response from Meta confirming that the content you post won’t be used to train AI. Notably, this still doesn’t include when you appear anywhere in an image shared on Meta’s services by someone else or when you are mentioned in posts or captions that someone else shares.

Featured image: Ideogram

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Rachael Davies
Tech Journalist

Rachael Davies has spent six years reporting on tech and entertainment, writing for publications like the Evening Standard, Huffington Post, Dazed, and more. From niche topics like the latest gaming mods to consumer-faced guides on the latest tech, she puts her MA in Convergent Journalism to work, following avenues guided by a variety of interests. As well as writing, she also has experience in editing as the UK Editor of The Mary Sue , as well as speaking on the important of SEO in journalism at the Student Press Association National Conference. You can find her full portfolio over on…

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