Meta suspends AI use in Brazil amid privacy concerns
The company suggests that such regulatory measures could stifle technological progress and hinder the advancement of AI technologies within the country.
Meta has suspended the use of its generative AI (GenAI) tools in Brazil after the country’s data protection authority issued a preliminary ban on its new privacy policy. The suspension follows a decision by Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) to halt Meta’s policy, citing risks to users’ fundamental data rights.
ANPD’s decision arose from concerns over Meta’s use of personal data to train its AI systems without users’ explicit consent. The agency warned of ‘serious and irreparable damage’ to the rights of data subjects and imposed a daily fine of 50,000 reais for non-compliance. Meta expressed disappointment, stating that the decision is a setback for innovation and AI development in Brazil.
The controversy in Brazil reflects broader global challenges for tech companies navigating stringent data privacy laws. In regions like the European Union, similar regulatory hurdles have forced Meta and other tech giants to pause their AI tool rollouts. Human Rights Watch highlighted risks associated with personal data in AI training, noting how personal photos, including those of Brazilian children, have been misused in image datasets, raising significant privacy and ethical concerns.
Meta’s response aligns with its recent actions in Europe, where it withheld its AI models due to regulatory uncertainties. This situation underscores the tension between advancing AI technologies and adhering to evolving data protection regulations.
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