Meta sued for using photos to train AI, facial recognition
What's the story
Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit for allegedly using users' photos without consent. The lawsuit was filed by a group of parents and their children from Illinois and California in a federal court in Chicago. They claim that Meta used their photos to develop NameTag, an unreleased facial recognition system for its smart glasses.
Legal breach
Allegations of biometric data misuse
The lawsuit alleges that Meta violated Illinois and California privacy laws by extracting biometric information from people's photos without their knowledge or consent.
The complaint also targets Meta's generative AI model, Expressive Media Universe (Emu), claiming it was trained on a large amount of Facebook and Instagram images.
These platforms were described as a "data advantage" for Meta's AI systems by Chris Cox, the company's chief product officer.
Company statement
Meta calls lawsuit 'without merit'
In response to the lawsuit, a Meta spokesperson said, "This lawsuit is without merit and misrepresents our work. We've been transparent about how we use people's information to build and improve our AI products."
The company also reiterated its position on NameTags, saying nothing has been shipped to consumers yet and no final decision has been made on what action will be taken.
Damages sought
Plaintiffs seek significant damages
The plaintiffs are seeking $5,000 for each intentional or reckless violation under Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act, or actual damages if greater. They also seek injunctive relief.
The California claims seek additional damages and other relief.
The proposed class includes people in Illinois, California, and across the US whose images were uploaded to Facebook or Instagram or provided to Meta's generative AI systems through prompts since September 4, 2021.
Past fines
Previous settlements over biometric data handling
This is not the first time Meta has faced fines for its handling of biometric data.
In 2020, the company agreed to pay $650 million to settle an Illinois class action over an earlier facial recognition system.
In November 2021, it announced plans to shut down the system and delete more than a billion faceprints.
In 2024, Meta also agreed to pay Texas $1.4 billion over separate allegations of illegally harvesting biometric data from users.