Meta Could Face EU Class Action for AI Training, Schrems Warns
Noyb is considering mounting a European class action against Meta if the social media platform continues with a plan to use data of EU Facebook and Instragram users for AI training, the Austrian privacy advocacy group said Wednesday.
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Noyb sent Meta a cease and desist letter concerning its plans to begin using the data for AI training starting May 27. Meta didn’t comment.
"The European Court of Justice has already held that Meta cannot claim a 'legitimate interest' in targeting users with advertising,” said Noyb founder Max Schrems. “How should it have a 'legitimate interest' to suck up all data for AI training? While the 'legitimate interest' assessment is always a multi-factor test, all factors seem to point in the wrong direction for Meta. Meta simply says that its interest in making money is more important than the rights of its users.”
“We are currently evaluating our options to file injunctions, but there is also the option for a subsequent class action for non-material damages,” said Schrems. “If you think about the more than 400 million European Meta users who could all demand damages of just [500 Euros] or so, you can do the math. We are very surprised that Meta would take this risk just to avoid asking users for their consent."