Meta to use AI chat data for personalized ads; Users cannot opt-out

Meta has also clarified that conversations about sensitive topics, such as religion, politics, health, sexual orientation, or racial background, will not be used for advertising. The company claims that these topics will remain outside the scope of ad targeting to protect user privacy.

New Delhi: Social media giant Meta recently made a major announcement. Starting December 16th, the company will use its AI chat interactions to show users personalized content and ads. This change will apply to Meta's other platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. With this update, users will no longer have the option to opt-out of the use of their data, raising several privacy concerns.

Personalized Content And Ads From AI Chat Data

According to Meta, voice and text chats of users who use the AI ​​chat feature will be combined with existing data, such as likes and follows. Based on this, users will be shown new content, Reels, and ads tailored to their interests. For example, if a user mentions hiking in an AI chat, they may see ads for hiking-related groups, friends' trail updates, or boots. The aim is to make the user experience more personalized.

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Sensitive Topics Will Be Addressed

Meta has also clarified that conversations about sensitive topics, such as religion, politics, health, sexual orientation, or racial background, will not be used for advertising. The company claims that these topics will remain outside the scope of ad targeting to protect user privacy.

Rollout And Opt-Out Status

This new update will be implemented in most countries from December 16th. However, users in the UK, European Union, and South Korea are currently exempt from this change. Meta will notify users of this change through a notification starting October 7th. Most importantly, users will not have the option to opt-out, meaning they must accept this data use.

Statement From Meta's Privacy Manager

Christy Harris, Meta's Privacy Policy Manager, stated that users' AI chat data will be used as an additional input, making their feeds and ads more personalized. He also stated that work on the initial features associated with this change is ongoing, and that better user controls will be provided in the future.

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What Does This Change Mean For Users?

This move by Meta marks a turning point in digital advertising and social media. While it will provide users with better and more relevant content, it could also be controversial from a privacy perspective. Many may consider this an intrusion on their privacy, as their chat interactions will now be used without an opt-out option.

This decision by Meta could further intensify the debate about privacy and control for social media users. It will be interesting to see how users and regulatory bodies respond to this.