Meta Platforms, a global technology company, is facing potential legal action from Austrian advocacy group NOYB over its plan to use European users’ personal data to train its AI models. NOYB, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, has announced its intention to seek an injunction against Meta, arguing that the company’s approach could lead to substantial claims if it proceeds with its data collection strategy.
Meta plans to begin using personal data from European users of Instagram and Facebook starting May 27, citing “legitimate interest” under EU privacy regulations. The company intends to leverage this data to train and develop its generative AI models and other AI tools, which may be shared with third parties. Users will be provided with a link to a form allowing them to object to their data being used for AI training. Additionally, Meta has stated that private messages and public data from accounts belonging to users under the age of 18 will not be included in the training process.
Schrems has challenged Meta’s justification, pointing to a previous ruling by the European Court of Justice that prevented the company from claiming “legitimate interest” in targeting users with advertising. He argues that the same principle should apply to AI training, questioning the legality of Meta’s approach. NOYB is considering filing injunctions and potentially pursuing a class action lawsuit for non-material damages. With over 400 million European Meta users, Schrems suggests that collective claims could amount to billions of euros.
The advocacy group has invoked the EU Collective Redress mechanism, which enables consumers to file collective lawsuits against companies operating within the bloc. NOYB has set a deadline of May 21 for Meta to respond to its concerns. Meta has rejected NOYB’s claims, stating that its approach complies with EU regulations and that users have been given a clear option to object to their data being used for AI training. The company has notified users via email and in-app notifications, emphasizing that objections can be submitted at any time.