Following Meta’s proposals to update its privacy policies to allow training of AI models, societies representing copyright of visual artists, writers, performers and directors have jointly written to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), which was established in 2020 to cooperate on the regulation of online platforms, to investigate the matter.
The letter follows an announcement in May that Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, updated its privacy policies to include provisions for using user data to develop its AI models.
In June, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner revealed that Meta paused its plans to train its large language model using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram in the EU after complaints were filed in Europe. However, it is not clear whether these changes would impact UK creators and users of Meta’s products.
The joint letter from ALCS, BECS, DACS, Directors UK and PICSEL to the DRCF and its members (the Information Commissioners Office, Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority) requests that they investigate whether Meta’s actions could harm the rights of individuals in the UK.
Lord Clement-Jones, CBE, supporting the letter, said: “Meta’s proposed privacy policy changes will have a very chilling impact on all users, but particularly on creators and performers who use social media platforms to bring audiences to their work. UK regulators must look into the proposed changes, which would allow Meta and third parties to use content posted onto the platforms to develop AI models and investigate whether individuals in the UK are at risk.”