Overview

• Meta's global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh, admitted the company has been scraping public posts from Facebook and Instagram since 2007.
• The data collection includes photos and texts from public posts, but excludes accounts of users under 18, though photos of children posted by parents are included.
• European users have the option to opt out of this data collection due to GDPR regulations, but no such option is available for users in Australia or the US.
• The admission came during a public inquiry in Australia, where Meta faced scrutiny over its privacy practices and lack of consent options for users.
• Meta paused the launch of its AI product in Europe due to privacy concerns and regulatory challenges, highlighting ongoing legal questions around AI and data privacy.