Musk's X accused of unlawful data collection to train AI
What's the story
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence service, Grok AI, is currently facing legal challenges in Europe over alleged breaches of the EU's data privacy regulations. The European Centre for Digital Rights, also known as None of Your Business (NOYB), has filed nine complaints across various EU countries. These complaints have accused Musk's social media platform X of unlawfully collecting data from over 60 million users to train Grok.
User consent
Lack of user consent in data collection alleged
The controversy surrounding Grok AI began in July when X users noticed a change in their data settings, which allowed their public posts to be used for AI training. NOYB claims that X implemented this change without properly informing users or obtaining their consent, a violation of the EU's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The complaints have been filed in France, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, and Poland.
Data transparency
NOYB questions X's 'legitimate interest' in data collection
NOYB has raised concerns that X failed to demonstrate a "legitimate interest" in collecting such a large amount of personal data. The platform's lack of transparency about how the data would be handled has been flagged as another GDPR violation. While users were given an opt-out option in their data-sharing settings, NOYB argues that this discourages users from exercising their right to choose, since GDPR generally requires an opt-in for such data usage.
Data deletion
Concerns over irreversible treatment of personal data
The organization also expressed concerns that the treatment of personal data under these new settings may be irreversible, and may not comply with the "right to be forgotten" rule. This rule permits users to request the deletion of their data. In response to similar concerns raised by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), X announced it would stop using European users' data to train Grok but criticized the DPC's order as "unwarranted" and "overboard."
Regulatory response
NOYB urges decisive action against X's data practices
Despite X's decision to stop using European users' data for AI training, NOYB is requesting regulatory bodies, like France's National Data Protection Commission (CNIL), to take decisive action against X's practices. The outcome of these legal challenges could significantly impact how AI firms operate in the EU, particularly when it comes to data privacy and user consent. NOYB's Chairman, Max Schrems, emphasized the necessity of companies seeking explicit user consent before using personal data for AI training.