Meta AI app introduces consent pop ups as users post sensitive details in prompts to generate AI content

FILE PHOTO: Meta AI app has a pop up consent notification that the user must accept before sharing their AI-generated content. 
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The Meta AI app allows users to post their prompts in discover feeds — similar to social platforms like Instagram. However, some posts included personal details that included medical and tax records, home addresses, details of lawsuits and other information about their private lives. These conversations showed up on the ‘Discover’ feed for the public. 

Since then, Meta AI has included a pop up when users click on ‘Share’ saying, “Prompts you post are public and visible to everyone. Your prompts may be suggested by Meta on other Meta apps. Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information.”

Users can also choose which Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram) the prompts that are shared publicly may be suggested on.

The Meta AI app was launched in April merging the concept of AI chatbots and social platforms.

“The Meta AI app includes a Discover feed, a place to share and explore how others are using AI. You can see the best prompts people are sharing, or remix them to make them your own. And as always, you’re in control: nothing is shared to your feed unless you choose to post it,” the Meta blog post had noted.

But critics had pointed out potential privacy risks around the publish chats feature.