Overview

• Meta plans to begin training AI models with public user data from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads in Europe starting May 27, requiring users to opt out by May 26.
• The Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen issued a cease-and-desist letter to Meta on April 30, arguing the opt-out mechanism violates GDPR standards.
• The consumer advocacy group is actively considering an interim injunction to block the training, citing significant legal concerns and the need for active user consent.
• Meta defends its approach as industry standard, emphasizing its importance for AI to understand German language and culture while warning of potential setbacks to innovation and the EU market.
• The dispute highlights broader tensions between data privacy rights and the development of locally relevant AI services, with legal uncertainty persisting as both sides prepare for possible court proceedings.