Meta initiates AI education program in Germany
Meta Secures Court Approval for Large-Scale AI Training Using User Data
Hamburg, Germany - Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been granted approval by the Higher Regional Court of Cologne to train its artificial intelligence systems using data from German and European Union users. Beginning on May 27, 2025, Meta will utilize user posts from both platforms to enhance its AI models, with the option for individuals to actively object prior to May 28, 2025.
Initially, consumer advocates in Germany sought to prevent the use of data for AI training through court intervention. However, the court ruled in an expedited hearing that Meta's data-driven AI training approach does not conflict with European Union law and serves a legitimate purpose.
The data used by Meta will primarily consist of publicly accessible posts, which can be found through general search. A spokesperson for Meta affirmed that the company has taken steps to mitigate any potential impact on users by notifying them about their plans.
WhatsApp, which is also a member of the Meta family, does not have access to encrypted chat content. Nevertheless, chats involving Meta's AI assistant "Meta AI" can be utilized for training due to their classification as public communications.
Meta's competitors, particularly OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google, have surpassed the company in the AI race, according to a recent survey by the German digital industry association Bitkom. Meta's AI language model, Llama, was introduced in 2023 but still did not rank among the most widely used AI applications, often being outperformed by its contemporaries.
The court's decision has sparked criticisms from some consumer protection groups, such as the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center, which remains dubious about the legality of Meta's data use for AI training. Austria's privacy group Noyb also issued a cease-and-desist letter to Meta, signaling ongoing scrutiny of the company's practices.
As the AI race continues, Meta's legal authorization to collect and utilize large-scale user data offers a potential competitive edge in the data-intensive field of AI development. However, further reviews from regulators, such as the Irish Data Protection Authority, may shape Meta's future data practices.
- In North Rhine-Westphalia, concerns about Meta's data use for AI training persist, with the Consumer Advice Center expressing skepticism about its legality.
- To stay competitive in the evolving landscape of AI, fintech, industry, data-and-cloud-computing, and technology, Meta in North Rhine-Westphalia has secured court approval for large-scale AI training using user data.
- As Meta continues its AI development in North Rhine-Westphalia, artificial intelligence, finance, and other related sectors must keep an eye on regulatory scrutiny, particularly from bodies like the Irish Data Protection Authority.
