OCU asks to investigate Meta for lack of transparency

Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) Zuckerberg’s company Meta reported to the publication Spanish Data Protection Agency due to a “lack of transparency” due to changes made to its privacy policy, which aims to use its users’ data to use it with its own artificial intelligence (AI).

The OCU reminded that Meta, the company that owns the most commonly used social networks in the world: Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp, will update these privacy terms for its users to allow the use of their data (including not only photos, but also captions). and other publications) so that these are “trainings” to improve your artificial intelligence tools.

Therefore, the OCU believes that this practice “is not very transparent, interfering with the user’s right to object and including possible third party use” and states in a statement that the update contains “an open-ended statement of intent that obscures the final permission to use personal data to develop its AI tool.”

“This is difficult to detect and even more difficult to counter because it requires seven actions on the part of the user,” the organization explains in a statement and points out that “Moreover, this is by no means a complete opposition or to the exclusion of third parties.”

USE OF THIRD PARTIES

According to the consumer organization, the right to object is not complete, since Meta’s AI does not distinguish in photographs the profiles of users who have allowed their data to be used from othersand adds that “Meta does not disclose its use of data from third parties who have not previously given their consent, which may include minors appearing in photographs or family videos posted on social media.”

For these reasons, the organization has requested an investigation from the Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD) regarding this new company update and also requests that if these reported events are confirmed, a new update could be urgently initiated that would prevent the use of personal data obtained from victims, regardless of whether they are users of the platforms, using Meta artificial intelligence.

The OCU also asks the AEPD to begin an investigation as soon as possible, since it must be until next June 26, as changes to Meta’s privacy policy will take effect on that day.

Data protection prohibits the use of its “selective functions”

Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD) ordered the adoption of precautionary measures against Meta in order to immediately and in connection with the upcoming elections to the European Parliament suspend the implementation of functions in Spain. Election Day Information (EDI) and Voter Information Unit (VIU)as well as the collection and processing of data that involves their use.

In this scenario, the Agency considers that the company’s planned data processing constitutes “an activity contrary to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) this would, at a minimum, violate the principles of data protection: legality, data minimization and limitation of storage period.”

Thanks to these two functions, which are to provide information to users Facebook and Instagram about EU elections, Meta intends to process data such as, but not limited to, username, IP address, age and gender, or information about how you interact with these features. Gathering political opinions is prohibited in the EU.

Likewise, the agency warns that providing third parties with data that may be personal in nature “would entail a disproportionate interference with the rights and freedoms of the parties concerned.” “This loss of control creates a high risk that this data will be used by unknown attackers.” and for implicit purposes,” he emphasized.