Meta, the organization behind Facebook, is one of many companies relying on user data to beef up its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Obviously, this leaves me pretty uneasy. Meta’s solution? A brand-spankin’ new opt-out form.
Unfortunately, this creates more questions than answers. Here’s the lowdown and what else you can do to boost Facebook privacy settings.
Request granted (maybe)
The Generative AI Data Subject Rights form is hanging out in Meta’s help center. Filling it out is only a request for Meta to give you access to the third-party data it uses for AI development. It claims personal info is also deleted when you do.
- To submit the opt-out request, provide your country of residence, full name and email address.
- You should receive confirmation that your request is under review within 24 hours. Pro tip: The website is pretty glitchy on phones, so try it on a computer instead.
Apparently, the website is pretty glitchy if you’re accessing it from a phone, so try it on a computer instead.
Here comes the shady part. Because it’s just a “request,” there’s no guarantee that Meta will delete your data or get you the info you ask for, even if it belongs to you. Uh … what’s the point?
Just a few months ago, European regulators slapped Meta with a $1.3 billion fine for misusing data. Coincidence that this new opt-out form magically appeared shortly afterward? Nah.
Dude, where’s my data?
The specifics on how Meta collects and uses your data to train its AI are as clear as mud. Details are tough to find, although we got some information from a recent company blog post.
According to Facebook, Europe and the U.K. “rely on the basis of legitimate interests to collect and process any personal information included in these publicly available and licensed sources to train our generative AI models.”
In the U.S. and everywhere else, they “rely on an adequate legal basis to collect and process this data.” As we said, clear as mud.
Side note: This doesn’t apply to all the info Meta already has on you through its platforms. It only applies to any outside data the company could bring in for AI training. This includes data it buys from third parties and anywhere else online.
Facebook privacy must-dos for 2023
If completing Meta’s new opt-out form doesn’t exactly put you at ease (it shouldn’t), you can safeguard data in other ways.
- Remove access to third-party apps. Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings. Select Apps and Websites from the left column and remove any apps or sites you don’t trust or use.
- Opt out of interest-based ads. Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Ad preferences. Next, click Ad settings > Activity information from ad partners > Review setting. Finally, choose No, don’t make my ads more relevant by using this information.
- Clear activity from businesses you visit off Facebook. Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings. Click View next to Off-Facebook activity. Tap Clear previous activity. Next, tap Manage future activity and select Disconnect future activity.
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