Brazil data regulator bans Meta from mining data to train its AI models
Brazil's national data protection authority determined on Tuesday that Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, cannot use data originating in the country to train its artificial intelligence.
Meta's updated privacy policy enables the company to feed people's public posts into its AI systems. That practice will not be permitted in Brazil, however.
The decision stems from the imminent risk of serious and irreparable or difficult-to-repair damage to the fundamental rights of the affected data subjects, the agency said in the nation's official gazette.
Brazil is one of Meta's biggest markets. Facebook alone has around 102 million active users in the country, the agency said in a statement. The nation has a population of 203 million, according to the country's 2022 census.
A spokesperson for Meta said in a statement the company is disappointed and insists its method complies with privacy laws and regulations in Brazil.
This is a step backwards for innovation, competition in