Guide
How to stop your data being fed to Meta’s AI
by Florian Bodoky
The Meta way: X is now also training its AI with your data – not that it would tell you
29.7.2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Elon Musk’s social media platform X is «optimising» its AI algorithms, including the chatbot Grok, by feeding it user tweets. The problem? X does this without asking you – if you want to stop it, you’ll have to take action yourself.
Opt-out: better to ask for forgiveness than permission
How to remove the check mark
This link will take you directly to the right menu. Alternatively, click on Settings and Data under More, then on Data Protection and Security. In the Grok menu, uncheck «Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning».
Problem solved – X has announced this option will also be available in the app «soon».
EU keeping quiet (for now)
Meta has also recently started using data from Instagram and Facebook for its artificial intelligence. Following numerous complaints, the Irish Data Protection Commission intervened and declared that Meta must offer an opt-in solution. It now has to actively ask its users for permission. Meta didn’t like this, which is why it’s temporarily stopping its AI programme in Europe.
However, due to possible violations of the GDPR, it seems likely that X will also be caught in the EU’s crosshairs.
Header image: Shutterstock
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
Computing
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Guide
Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.
Show all
