Liam Walsh
Liam is a Co-Director at Intelligency and heads up the agency's Digital Intelligence & Paid Social activity. Over the last decade, he has worked with brands from the world of sports such as Premier League clubs to entertainment such as Channel 4 and Disney.
Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram) is facing serious backlash in Europe over its plans to use users’ old posts and comments to train its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. A leading privacy group says this move may break EU data protection laws—and could cost Meta billions. At the heart of the debate is a simple but powerful question: Should companies be allowed to use your data without asking first?
What is GDPR and Why Does It Matter?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law that protects the privacy of everyone in the European Union. It gives people control over how companies use their personal data. Under GDPR, businesses must clearly explain what data they’re collecting and why—and in most cases, they must ask for your permission first.
Meta plans to use up to 20 years of Facebook and Instagram content, from all EU users, for AI training. But instead of asking people to opt in, they’re asking users to opt out, which puts the burden on the individual. Privacy experts say this is exactly the kind of thing GDPR was designed to stop.
The Legal Challenge
The privacy group noyb (short for “None of Your Business”) argues that Meta’s plan is illegal. They say Meta’s justification—that it has a “legitimate interest” in using the data—has already been rejected by European courts in similar cases about advertising.
Noyb has sent Meta a legal warning and is preparing for court action if the company doesn’t change course. They also suggest a class-action lawsuit could be launched, with potential damages of more than €200 billion.
Why This Matters to You
Even if you think you’ve got nothing to hide, GDPR is about your right to choose. Big tech companies shouldn’t be able to decide what happens to your data behind closed doors. This case is a reminder of how important data protection laws are in an AI-powered world—and how easily they can be challenged. AI Plans Are Stirring Up a Major Privacy Battle in Europe
