- Digital Rights Group, based in Austria, Noyb, has sent a goal of cessation and withdrawal to its training plans in the EU
- All public publications and user interactions are configured to feed Meta AI in the EU as of May 27, 2025, as an exclusion option
- Unlike what Meta states, Noyb argues that Meta AI training does not comply with GDPR and threatens to present a court order as a possible potential step
The Austria Noyb Digital Rights Group is threatening the goal with a court order on its IA training plans in the EU, arguing that they do not comply with data privacy laws.
The Big Tech Giant is ready to feed its Meta AI models with all public publications and user interactions from May 27, 2025, as an exclusion option. This means that European holders of Facebook and Instagram accounts must complete an objection form before this date if they do not want any of their data to be used. However, Noyb argues that Meta must request the subscription consent in place, according to the GDPR rules.
The group led by the privacy activist Max Schrems has already presented a cessation and withdrawal letter against goal on Wednesday, May 14, asking the company to stop its current plans. A court order and possible collective actions could be the next steps if the goal training AI continues while, Schrems said, something that could lead to claims of substantial damage of the affected users.
The Enigma of Legitimate Interest
According to Noyb, the legal enigma around the goal AI lies in how the social networks giant plans to use the legitimate disposition of interest governed by article 6 (1) (F) of GDPR, which allows companies to collect and process user data without the consent of users freely given.
Examples of legitimate interest include the use of people’s data to avoid fraudulent activities, process customer data for customer service purposes or administer employee relationships.
“The Court of Justice of Europe has already argued that Meta cannot claim a” legitimate interest “in the guidance of users with advertising. How should a” legitimate interest “have to absorb all data for the training of AI?” Sharms said, arguing that in the case of goal AI, legitimate interest is not “neither legal nor necessary.”
In addition, companies must also carry out an evaluation of legitimate interests of multiple factors to determine whether the use of this provision does not negatively affect individual rights and freedoms.
Noyb, however, argues that the training of Meta AI will not be able to comply with other GDPR rights, such as the right to be forgotten or the right to access their data later. This is because, once in a LLM database, it is very difficult (if not impossible) to recover the data.
When commenting on this, Schrems said: “Meta simply says that his interest in earning money is more important than the rights of its users.”
🚨 Today, Noyb has sent a cease and withdrawal letter with respect to his training plans in Europe. If goal does not comply with the application, Noyb could submit a court order, or launch an EU class action in the future. All details 👇https: //t.co/vkxxdyfqo9May 14, 2025
Goal announced its intention to resume the training of Meta AI in the EU on April 14, 2025. The company had to stop its launch in 2024 amid growing concerns between protection and EU data consumer regulators.
Noyb was one of those who have privacy complaints to prevent the target from training their AI models with European data in June last year.
In an official announcement, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram ensures that it has been involved with EU regulators and its approach complies with European laws.
Specifically, the company refers to an opinion issued by the EDPB in December, which provides a guide to help the Ireland data protection authority (DPA) to evaluate the use of legitimate interest as a legal basis for AI models.
How should have a “legitimate interest” to absorb all data for the training of AI?
Max Schrems, Noyb
However, according to Schrems, this is not enough to make the target training AI legally solid.
He said: “As far as we have heard, a goal has” committed “to the authorities, but this has not led to any” green light. “It seems that Meta simply advances and ignores the EU data protection authorities.”
Until now, only a German consumer protection group, the Consumer Affairs Center of Rinhine-Westphalia del Norte (VZNRW), has questioned the legality of Meta AI and issued an official application to the finish line to stop its training plans of AI in the EU. As notyb points out, the National Data Protection Authorities (DPA) have remained silent in silence, despite asking citizens to urgently opt for not participating in the target training AI.
On his side, Meta has fired the accusations of Vznrw and warned that a court order against the training of the Meta would damage the German market so much.
What follows?
As mentioned, goal is configured to start feeding their AI models with all publications and interactions of Facebook and Instagram account holders from May 27.
While Noyb is said to be currently evaluating his option of presenting a court order or class action if Meta passes with his plan, the group continues to argue that asking for user consent is the simplest solution to solve GDPR problems around the training of goal AI.
Meanwhile, it is crucial that the target users in the EU are excluded if they do not want the company to begin to use their data for AI training. This is because, as the Privacy Firm Proton, the supplier behind one of the best VPN and encrypted email applications, he said in a LinkedIn post: “It is difficult to predict what this data can be used for this data in the future, better to be sure to heal.”
To do so, you must log in to your account and complete an objection form (a Facebook form and one for Instagram). No reason is required to object.
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