Meta: Lawsuits and Reports on AI Use and Children's Data
A class action has been filed against Meta over the illegal use of photos for AI training and a facial recognition system. Around the same time, researchers reported hundreds of ads suspected of containing child sexual abuse material, some of them created using AI. Meta calls the lawsuit unfounded and says it removed many of the flagged ads.
Sources
· 5Meta подала в суд за использование данных для ИИ и системы распознавания лиц
1Meta разместила более 300 объявлений с подозрением на ИИ-насилие над детьми, заявляет НКО
2Meta разместила 250 реклам с детским насилием с августа, заявляют исследователи
3Meta выплатит до $16,7 млрд и ограничит использование соцсетей подростками
4Соглашение Meta на $18 млрд зависит от ИИ-проверки возраста детей
5Key points
- Parents and children from Illinois and California filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago, alleging that Meta illegally used photos from Facebook and Instagram for the NameTag facial recognition system and to train the generative models Emu and Muse Image.
- Meta said the lawsuit is unfounded and that NameTag was not shipped to consumers.
- Tech Transparency Project reported that Meta placed more than 300 ads on Instagram and Facebook suspected of containing child sexual abuse material, reaching more than 29,000 people.
- TTP researchers also found more than 250 additional ads with child abuse material on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads since early August, including images of real children.
What happened
A proposed class action has been filed against Meta in federal court in Chicago. The plaintiffs — parents and children from Illinois and California — allege the company illegally used photos from Facebook and Instagram to create the unreleased NameTag facial recognition system and to train the generative AI models Emu and Muse Image. The lawsuit claims Meta violated Illinois and California privacy laws by extracting biometric information without notice and consent. Meta says the lawsuit is unfounded and NameTag was not supplied to consumers.
Tech Transparency Project published a report according to which Meta placed more than 300 ads on Instagram and Facebook suspected of containing child sexual abuse material this year. The ads reached more than 29,000 people and often used AI to depict the sexual abuse of minors. TTP researchers also reported more than 250 additional ads with child abuse material on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads since early August, including images of real children, including a minor member of a European royal family. Meta removed the ads after complaints, but some remained active for up to a week.
Who's affected
The lawsuit affects parents and children from Illinois and California whose photos were allegedly used without consent. According to the TTP report, the paid ads reached more than 29,000 people. Among the images in the ads were photos of real children, including a minor member of a European royal family.
Context
Meta previously agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to settle a lawsuit by 29 states alleging it deliberately made children addicted to Facebook and Instagram; the settlement includes a daily two-hour usage limit for users under 18 and overnight notification blocking. A separate $18 billion settlement with 48 states and the District of Columbia requires Meta to improve AI age verification within a year.