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If it’s online, it’s fair game. It’s no secret that publicly shared photos, visuals, and text on platforms like Facebook and Instagram are used to train AI models, but could your private photos also be at risk? According to the Verge, they may very well be. Earlier this week, the tech publication claimed that Facebook’s new cloud processing feature — which allows the social network to upload select media from users’ phones to the cloud on a regular basis — gives Meta the right to retain and use unpublished media.
How does it work? Users trying to post stories via Facebook were given the option to turn on cloud processing in exchange for “personalized creative ideas” such as photo collages, memory recaps, and AI restyling, according to TechCrunch. Once users opt in, they’re essentially agreeing to Meta’s AI terms, which then gives the platform permission to analyze 30 days worth of unpublished photos — including facial features and other objects present in the photos.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, seeing as Meta is no stranger to using content on its platforms to train its gen AI models. In 2024, the tech giant admitted to feeding all posts made by its adult Facebook and Instagram users since 2007 into AI, unless users had set their posts to private. Meta, however, claims that unpublished photos accessed through the new feature are not, at present, being used to train its AI models. When asked by the Verge if that would remain the case in the future, Meta refrained from answering.
Unlike other cloud photo services, Meta doesn’t make any promises. Google Photos, which suggests similar AI edits to photos, makes it clear that personal data uploaded to its servers is not used in any way to train its gen AI models. Meta’s terms, however, leave much room for speculation. The good news is that users may opt out of the feature through settings, which would effectively remove the photos from Meta’s cloud servers.
That said, the tech giant will stop at nothing to secure victory in the AI arms race. From USD bn “acquisitions” to aggressive hiring strategies that just cost OpenAI four key researchers, Meta has been on a roll. Earlier this week, the Financial Times reported that the tech company is currently attempting to raise USD 29 bn to fund data centers in the US in an effort to cement itself as an AI leader. The tech company is pulling all the stops, but just how far will it go?
