Brazil’s data protection authority (ANPD) has made a significant decision to ban Meta from training its artificial intelligence models on Brazilian personal data. This move comes after Meta updated its privacy policy in May, granting itself permission to utilize public data from Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram in Brazil for AI training purposes. However, ANPD has deemed this practice as risky, citing potential harm and difficulties for users.
According to a report by Human Rights Watch, the use of the LAION-5B dataset to train AI models poses a risk to Brazilian children. The dataset contains identifiable photos of children from Brazil, leaving them vulnerable to deepfakes and exploitation. ANPD has emphasized the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of Brazilian users, especially in one of Meta’s largest markets.
ANPD has given Meta a deadline of five working days to comply with the ban on training AI models using Brazilian personal data. Failure to adhere to this order could result in significant daily fines for the company. Meta has expressed its disappointment in the decision, stating that it believes its updated policy is in compliance with Brazilian privacy laws. However, ANPD has raised concerns about the obstacles faced by users trying to opt out of data usage for AI training.
This is not the first time Meta has faced backlash from regulators regarding its AI training practices. The company previously paused plans to train AI models on European data due to pushback from EU regulators. While Meta’s updated data collection policies are already implemented in the US, where privacy protections are lacking compared to the EU, the company is now facing challenges in Brazil.
Meta’s AI training practices have come under scrutiny in Brazil, with ANPD taking a firm stance against the use of Brazilian personal data for training purposes. The protection of user rights and the prevention of exploitation, especially concerning children, are at the forefront of this decision. It remains to be seen how Meta will respond to these restrictions and whether they will alter their policies to comply with ANPD’s regulations.
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