09:45 AM EDT, 06/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with Meta response in last two paragraphs.)

Meta Platforms ( META ) is facing complaints filed by advocacy group noyb in 11 European countries over its reported plan to use personal posts and images of its users for artificial intelligence, the group said Thursday.

The complaints, filed after Meta informed users in Europe about its new privacy policy, asked data protection authorities in the 11 countries to initiate an urgency procedure to stop the execution of the new policy before June 26, according to noyb. The complaints were filed in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Spain.

"Only on closer inspection of the links in the notification did it become clear that the company plans to use years of personal posts, private images or online tracking data for an undefined 'AI technology' that can ingest personal data from any source and share any information with undefined 'third parties'," the group said in a statement.

Noyb said it plans to file additional complaints in the remaining European Union member states in the coming days.

Meta said in a an emailed statement that is not the first company to use personal posts and images of its users for artificial intelligence, and that it is "following the example set by Google and Open AI, who use this same legal basis," adding that "we are confident that our approach complies with the law."

The company said it is using public-only data from Facebook and Instagram, and that no messages, and no data from anyone under 18 will be used. It also said users in the EU and the UK can opt out at any time.

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