Tumblr and wordpress.com allegedly selling user data to Midjourney and OpenAI, raises concerns over data privacy.

Popular platforms Tumblr and WordPress.com are reportedly in the process of selling user data to companies Midjourney and OpenAI, as disclosed by an anonymous source familiar with internal dealings and confirmed by internal documentation.

The specifics of the data being sold from each platform to the respective companies are not explicitly outlined in the reviewed documents. However, internal communications reviewed by 404 Media indicate that deals between Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr and WordPress.com, and OpenAI and Midjourney are forthcoming.

The internal documentation reveals a complex and contentious procedure within Tumblr itself. Cyle Gage, a product manager at Tumblr, published an internal post acknowledging that a query intended to prepare data for OpenAI and Midjourney inadvertently gathered an extensive collection of user posts that should not have been included. It remains unclear from Gage’s post whether this data has already been transmitted to the companies or if Gage was describing a process to remove the data before sharing it.

In terms of data privacy and user consent, the news text raises concerns regarding the potential sale of user data by Tumblr and WordPress.com. The lack of specificity regarding the types of data being offered for sale, as well as the process by which it was compiled, suggests a possible violation of user privacy.

Furthermore, the news text includes an embedded promotion for the 404 Media podcast, encouraging readers to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or their preferred podcast app. This additional inclusion suggests a potential effort to reach a wider audience or generate increased interest in the podcast.