Mass 'Goodbye Meta AI' Viral Post Misleads Users on Data Protection
In recent weeks, Instagram and Facebook have been inundated with posts from users attempting to protect their data from being utilised to train Meta AI. This movement has seen over 600,000 people sharing a message titled "Goodbye Meta AI," which claims to revoke permission for Meta, the parent company of these social media platforms, to use their data. High-profile individuals like Julianne Moore, Tom Brady, and Ashley Tisdale have also shared this message, adding to its viral spread.
The message claims: "Please note an attorney has advised us to put this on, failure to do so may result in legal consequences. As Meta is now a public entity, all members must post a similar statement. If you do not post at least once it will be assumed you are okay with them using your information and photos. I do not give Meta or anyone else permission to use any of my personal data, profile information or photos."
However, this message has been confirmed as a hoax. Meta representatives have clarified that such posts do not legally prevent the company from using publicly shared data for AI training. In a statement to the BBC, a Meta spokesperson said, "Sharing this story does not count as a valid form of objection." The viral content has even been flagged as "false information" by Meta’s third-party fact-checker, Lead Stories.
Meta introduced its generative AI features a year ago and has emphasised that only publicly shared posts are used to train its systems. The company stated, “We didn’t train these models using people’s private posts. We also do not use the content of your private messages with friends and family to train our AIs.”
Social media has seen a proliferation of copypasta – a term for viral, repeatedly copied and pasted text chunks – for many years. Similar messages have circulated previously, especially when rumours about Facebook's policies on data and privacy have arisen. This "Goodbye Meta AI" message appears to be the latest iteration in a long line of misinformation.
Ava Vox, a drag queen and former contestant of "American Idol," recently took to Facebook to warn against spreading such misinformation. Vox wrote, “Everyone, please STOP posting that ‘goodbye meta AI’ BS,” highlighting that hackers could exploit such posts to target vulnerable profiles. Vox added, “Please stop being so naive, and become more aware of internet safety and security. You are only putting a target on your back for hackers by sharing and making those ridiculous posts.”
In terms of data privacy, users in the U.S. have fewer opt-out options compared to European users who benefit from more stringent regional laws. According to Meta, U.S. users can limit the AI’s access to their data by setting their profiles to private, although there is no direct opt-out feature available. "While we don’t currently have an opt-out feature [for U.S. users], we’ve built in-platform tools that allow people to delete their personal information from chats with Meta AI across our apps," a Meta representative told Wired.
Meta has indicated it will send notifications to users planning to train its AI systems using publicly available data, offering an opt-out through a brief form. Users can also proactively opt-out in the Facebook settings by navigating to the Privacy Centre and finding the AI opt-in section.
While fears about AI systems using personal data are legitimate, the spread of misinformation and ineffective responses such as the viral "Goodbye Meta AI" post only serve to distract from genuinely effective protective measures. Ensuring digital literacy and awareness of actual data privacy tools is essential as technology continues to evolve.
Source: Noah Wire Services