Australia (Commonwealth)_In a recent inquiry conducted by the Australian government regarding the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), significant questions were raised about the data collection practices of Meta, particularly in relation to Australian citizens. Meta’s global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh, faced scrutiny from officials when asked if the company had been gathering Australians’ data to train its generative AI technologies. Initially, Claybaugh denied the claims. However, when pressed further, she acknowledged that Meta indeed scrapes photos and text from Facebook and Instagram posts, dating as far back as 2007. The only exceptions to this collection practice were posts marked private by users.
During the inquiry, Claybaugh assured officials that Meta does not scrape the accounts of users under the age of 18. However, she admitted that if a minor’s photos or personal data are shared through a parent’s or guardian’s account, Meta still collects that information. When questioned about whether the company continues to collect data from individuals who initially signed up as minors once they turn 18, Claybaugh was unable to provide a clear answer. This ambiguity has raised further concerns about the extent to which Meta monitors and collects data on individuals, particularly vulnerable groups such as children.
The lack of transparency and control over data usage for Australian users has sparked a broader debate on privacy rights in the country. Unlike in Europe, where regulatory frameworks like the GDPR provide robust protections for individuals’ data, Australia currently lacks comparable privacy laws that would force companies like Meta to offer similar opt-out mechanisms. This gap has left Australians with limited power to control how their personal data is used, particularly when it comes to emerging technologies like AI.
Senator David Shoebridge, one of the inquiry’s most vocal participants, expressed his disappointment at the government’s inaction in strengthening privacy protections. “Meta made it clear today that if Australia had these same laws, Australians’ data would also have been protected,” Shoebridge stated, highlighting the fact that current regulations fail to safeguard even the most vulnerable citizens, including children. He emphasized that the government’s reluctance to introduce comprehensive privacy legislation is allowing corporations like Meta to exploit personal data for financial gain. The senator specifically mentioned the monetization of photos and videos of children, a practice he described as deeply concerning.
Despite the pressing legal questions surrounding AI adoption in Europe, Meta has offered its users there the option to block data collection, reinforcing the notion that robust legal frameworks can directly impact corporate behavior. The company has chosen not to roll out its multimodal AI model in the EU, citing the complexities of adhering to GDPR regulations as the primary reason. According to Claybaugh, the ongoing legal uncertainty about how privacy laws intersect with AI training has made it difficult for Meta to operate in the region. Nevertheless, this has not stopped the company from continuing to collect and use data from users in less regulated regions, such as Australia.
Claybaugh’s testimony during the inquiry has brought to light several significant concerns, not only about Meta’s data collection practices but also about the broader implications of AI technology in societies where privacy laws are less stringent. As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into everyday life, the question of how personal data is used, especially in training these powerful models, will likely remain a contentious issue.
The Australian government’s failure to act on privacy matters has left its citizens vulnerable to the unchecked practices of large tech corporations. As demonstrated by Meta’s policies in the EU, strong legal frameworks can compel companies to offer more protections for individuals’ data. Until similar laws are implemented in Australia, the country’s citizens, including minors, remain at risk of having their personal data exploited for commercial purposes.
