United Kingdom: Issued ICO statement in response to Meta's announcement on user data to train AI

On 13 September 2024, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued a statement in response to Meta's plans to resume using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram in the UK to train its generative AI models. This comes after pausing their plans in June 2024 in response to concerns from the ICO. Meta has made adjustments to its approach, including simplifying the objection process for users and extending the timeframe for objections. The ICO emphasised that Meta must ensure transparency and provide safeguards for users' data, as the ICO has not granted regulatory approval for the processing.