Meta will use your photos for AI from 27 May - what does that mean and what can you do about it?
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From Tuesday, 27 May 2025, start Meta with using public data from European users to train their models. This means that information such as public photos, captions, comments and likes on public profiles or pages can be collected and used to improve the performance of Meta's systems.
This development has obvious implications for your privacy and creates uncertainty for many users. What exactly is being shared? Why is Meta doing this? And importantly, what can you do yourself if you don't want this?
In the explanation below, you will read what is changing, why Meta is making this change of course and how you can object to the use of your public data. So you know exactly where you stand and what steps you can take yourself to protect your privacy.
What exactly is happening?
Meta wants the AI assistant to improve its artificial intelligence by using European data. In this way, artificial intelligence can be better tailored to our languages, habits and culture. To do this, it collects public content from adult users:
- Public Instagram photos and captions
- Comments and posts in public Facebook groups
- Likes and interactions with content
What is not used:
- Private messages
- Content from minors
- Content you only share with friends or a limited group
According to the company, this is not a violation of privacy laws. It does not use private messages or content from minors. But it does deal with personal content that you have not put online with the idea that it will be used for artificial intelligence.
What are the implications for you?
1. Public content used for training
Meta will now automatically use your public content for training their models, unless you explicitly object. This follows a recent privacy policy update, in which Meta gives itself the right to process public photos, texts and interactions for technological development. In other words, anything you consciously or unconsciously make public can be used to make their systems smarter.
2. Less grip on your data
Once your content is included in these training processes, it is almost impossible to completely change it back afterwards. Even if you object after 27 May, the influence of your content remains in the models that have already been trained. You therefore retain less control over what happens to your data and cannot turn back the clock once the processing has taken place.
3. Privacy and trust under pressure
This change strains the relationship between users and the platform. When people know that their public content can be used for training, they naturally become more cautious in what they share online. This can lead to less trust in the platform and more conscious, but also more limited, use of social media.
What can you do about this?
Although objecting is now less effective, you can still partially restrict the use of your data.
- Check your profile settings: Is your profile public or private?
- Limit what you share on public platforms
- Follow updates from privacy organisations and stay abreast of changes
Conclusion
Meta's decision marks another important step in how the company uses data for its own purposes. While technological advances are undoubtedly impressive, this evolution also raises uncertainty and concern for many people. What exactly happens to our data? And where is the line between innovation and privacy?
Ultimately, the choice remains with you. It is therefore important to think consciously and critically about what you share online and how visible your digital presence is. By limiting your online footprint, you retain more control over your personal information, even in a world where technology is increasingly intertwined with our daily communications.
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