- A German consumer protection group calls Meta to stop its IA training plans in the EU
- All publications and user interactions are defined to feed Meta AI from May 27, 2025
- Meta says that AI training complies with EU law, but the defenders of privacy always question its legality under the GDPR
A German consumer protection group calls Meta to stop its plan to start training its AI models with EU user data.
The Rhine-Westphalia of North Westphalia of Verbraucherzentral (NRW) sent a letter to stop and abstain to the Grand Giant of Technology on April 30, 2025 to demand that Facebook and Instagram stop their IA training plans. The group also threatens additional legal action if Meta decides not to comply.
“It is imperative to act quickly because once the data has been incorporated into the AI, it is difficult to recover it,” said Christine Steffen, data protection expert in the Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center Center, in an official announcement.
All publications and user interactions are defined to feed Meta AI from May 27, 2025. If they do not want this to happen, EU users must actively undress.
An illegal approach?
Meta, the parent company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, successfully launched Meta IA in the EU in March, almost a year after the company interrupted the launch among the growing concerns among the regulators of the EU data.
In its official announcement, the company guarantees that its approach is in accordance with European laws and regulations. “We welcome the opinion provided by the EDPB in December, which said that our initial approach responded to our legal obligations,” wrote Meta.
More specifically, EDPB opinion provides a guide to help the Irish Data Protection Authority (DPA) to assess the use of legitimate interest as a legal basis for AI models.
German consumption experts now argue that a benchmark for legitimate interest is insufficient for the meta-ai. They also emphasize how users should not accept that the personal information they shared with Meta over the years can now be used for AI training.
“Furthermore, We can only exclude particularly sensitive information, which is particularly protected by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), is also used for AI training purposes, “said Steffen.” In this case, a so -called opt -out – as Meta proposed – is not enough; Persons affected should actively consent. “”
#Meta jumps consent, #GDPR violations with EU data training. 📊🚫 #dataprotectionmatters #MakePrivacyreality pic.twitter.com/nywzqoxtylApril 18, 2025
The Austrian confidentiality advocacy group Noyb (none of your belongings) also considers that Meta AI may not be in accordance with the laws of the GDPR.
“Meta deliberately tries to ignore European law and puts its commercial interests above the fundamental right to the protection of data from affected persons,” said Noyb co-founder and lawyer, Max Schrems, in an official announcement, sharing its total support with the actions of Verbraucherzentral NRW.
“Meta should simply ask people affected by their consent. But if Meta ignores the law of the EU, there will be consequences for all of Europe,” added Schrems.
The meta-ai in officially disassembly in about two weeks, we could see more actions of other groups of European consumers, the Privacy Authorities or the DPA itself.
In the meantime, experts in confidentiality like Proton, the supplier behind one of the best VPN and encrypted VPN messaging applications, urge people in Europe concerned about their private life to withdraw from meta-ai formation. “It is difficult to predict what this data could be used in the future – it is better to be safe than sorry,” Proton wrote on a LinkedIn article.
If you are in the EU, you have until May 27 to prevent Facebook and Instagram from using one of your data to train their AI models. To do this, you must connect to your account and fill out an objection form (a form for Facebook and one for Instagram). A reason to oppose is not required.
