Overview

• Meta plans to train its AI using public posts and interactions from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in Europe starting May 27, with users required to opt out by May 26 to exclude their data.
• The Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen (VZ NRW) has issued a legal warning and is evaluating an injunction, arguing Meta's reliance on 'legitimate interest' under GDPR is insufficient.
• Critics claim Meta's opt-out mechanism fails to meet GDPR's consent standards, particularly for potentially sensitive data, which would require explicit user approval.
• Meta defends its approach as industry standard and essential for creating AI systems that understand local languages and cultures, warning that legal barriers could harm innovation and the EU single market.
• The legal dispute highlights tensions between privacy regulations and AI development, with the VZ NRW emphasizing urgency as data incorporated into AI models becomes difficult to remove.