By Kayla DeKraker
Meta has quietly introduced a new intrusive feature in the Facebook app that may scan your phone’s camera roll without your consent.
The feature was first introduced as a test in June. The Meta AI-driven setting scans your recent photos, even those not posted to Facebook. Unfortunately, some users report that it activates automatically, with no prompting or notice.
Tom’s Guide explained, “If you did see the prompt, toggling it on, has you agree to Meta’s AI Terms of Service which permits it to analyze ‘media and facial features.’ That analysis uses your images, including dates, people, and objects, to suggest posts like collages, stories and albums. Meta has claimed that the scan won’t be used for targeted advertising.”
Here’s how it works: when Facebook users create a new story on the app, a pop up will ask “If the user will opt into ‘cloud processing’ to allow creative suggestions.” Clicking “allow” lets Facebook “generate new ideas from your camera roll, like collages, recaps, AI restylings, or photo themes,” per TechCrunch. This will allow the app to upload photos from your camera roll on a regular basis without notice.
Related: Can Meta’s New AI Features Be Turned Off?
The reason they are legally allowed to do this is because Meta’s AI Terms of Service state that by clicking “allow,” you agree to this technology.
Although Meta told The Verge in a statement that they are not currently using this technology to view user’s personal photos, they “would not answer our questions about whether it might do so in future, or what rights it will hold over your camera roll images.”
To turn this feature off on your phone, open the Facebook app and from there go to menu settings and privacy. Then go to camera roll sharing suggestions and toggle off.
This isn’t the first time Meta AI has led people to question their practices. Earlier this month, Meta AI chatbot was found having sensual conversations with minors and sharing false medical information.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said of the controversy, “The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies and have been removed. We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors.”
Reuters questions the feature, saying, “They…prohibit Meta AI from using hate speech. Still, there is a carve-out allowing the bot ‘to create statements that demean people on the basis of their protected characteristics.’ Under those rules, the standards state, it would be acceptable for Meta AI to ‘write a paragraph arguing that black people are dumber than white people.’”
Recently, AI has become more controversial and even more dangerous. It is important to be aware of the risks so you can protect yourself from the potential dangers of the often invasive tech.
Read Next: Massive Meta AI Update Hits Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp
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