Facebook's New AI Feature Seeks Access to Users' Unpublished Photos, Raising Privacy Concerns

Facebook is asking to use Meta AI on photos in your camera roll you haven't yet shared | TechCrunch

Facebook is asking users for access to their phone's camera roll to automatically suggest AI-edited versions of their photos -- including ones that haven't been uploaded to Facebook yet. The feature is being suggested to Facebook users when they're creating a new Story on the social networking app. Here, a screen pops up and asks if the user will opt into "cloud processing" to allow creative suggestions. As the pop-up message explains, by clicking "Allow," you'll let Facebook generate new ideas from your camera roll, like collages, recaps, AI restylings, or photo themes. To work, Facebook says it will upload media from your camera roll to its cloud (meaning its servers) on an "ongoing basis," based on information like time, location, or themes. The message also notes that only you can see the suggestions, and the media isn't used for ad targeting. However, by tapping "Allow," you are agreeing to Meta's AI Terms. This allows your media and facial features to be analyzed by AI, it says. The company will additionally use the date and presence of people or objects in your photos to craft its creative ideas. The creative tool is another example of the slippery slope that comes with sharing our personal media with AI providers. Like other tech giants, Meta has grand AI ambitions. Being able to tap into the personal photos users haven't yet shared on Facebook's social network could give the company an advantage in the AI race. Unfortunately for end users, in tech companies' rush to stay ahead, it's not always clear what they're agreeing to when features like this appear. According to Meta's AI Terms around image processing, "once shared, you agree that Meta will analyze those images, including facial features, using AI. This processing allows us to offer innovative new features, including the ability to summarize image contents, modify images, and generate new content based on the image," the text states. The same AI terms also give Meta's AIs the right to "retain and use" any personal information you've shared in order to personalize its AI outputs. The company notes that it can review your interactions with its AIs, including conversations, and those reviews may be conducted by humans. The terms don't define what Meta considers personal information, beyond saying it includes "information you submit as Prompts, Feedback, or other Content." We have to wonder whether the photos you've shared for "cloud processing" also count here. Meta has not responded to our requests for comment or clarification. So far, there hasn't been much backlash about this feature. A handful of Facebook users have stumbled across the AI-generated photo suggestions when creating a new story and raised questions about it. For instance, one user on Reddit found that Facebook had pulled up an old photo (in this case, one that had previously been shared to the social network) and automatically turned it into an anime using Meta AI. When another user in an anti-AI Facebook group asked for help shutting this feature off, the search led to a section called camera roll sharing suggestions in the app's Settings. We also found this feature under Facebook's Settings, where it's listed in the Preferences section. On the "Camera roll sharing suggestions" page, there are two toggles. The first lets Facebook suggest photos from your camera roll when browsing the app. The second (which should be opt-in based on the pop-up that requested permission in Stories) is where you could enable or disable the "cloud processing," which lets Meta make AI images using your camera roll photos. This additional access to use AI on your camera roll's photos does not appear to be new. We found posts from earlier this year where confused Facebook users were sharing screenshots of the pop-up message that appeared in their Stories section. Meta has also published complete Help Documentation about the feature for both iOS and Android users. Meta's AI terms have been enforceable as of June 23, 2024; we can't compare the current AI terms with older versions because Meta doesn't keep a record, and previously published terms haven't been properly saved by the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. Since this feature dips into your camera roll, however, it extends beyond what Meta had previously announced, in terms of training its AIs on your publicly shared data, including posts and comments on Facebook and Instagram. (EU users had until May 27, 2025 to opt out.)

Turn Off This Facebook Setting Now to Avoid Sharing Your Entire Camera Roll With Meta AI

There's good news and bad news: The bad news is that Meta's continued development of generative AI has led it to add a privacy nightmare setting to its Facebook app. The good news is that, in a big departure from Meta's status quo, you can opt out. It's all about AI getting access to your camera roll and all the pictures there, even the ones you haven't posted anywhere. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has been trying to keep up with AI heavyweights for the past few years in an ultracompetitive race to make the most advanced AI models. Meta distinguished itself by adding its AI to its social media apps, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger. Nowadays, most of us who use those apps have to interact with Meta AI, even if we don't want to. The company also uses the social media posts that its adult users share publicly to train its AI. There is no way to opt out, even now for European users who have more stringent privacy laws protecting them. For those of us who are concerned about AI systems eating up the content we share online, it's been a nonstop headache. So it's not totally surprising to see this feature on Facebook. It's called camera roll cloud processing. Facebook says it's a way to get more creative help when you share photos and videos -- it takes your existing content and uses AI to enhance or reimagine your photos and videos. Some examples of what Facebook says could be included are travel highlights, monthly recaps, and birthday and special event content. You also get more ways to sort your photos and videos by topic and suggestions from Meta about the best photos to share. When you allow camera roll cloud processing, Meta can "automatically upload your photos and videos to our cloud so that we can create personalized creative ideas for you." This is not the same as allowing Meta access to your camera roll so you can post photos and videos you took. If you enable this additional setting, Meta can upload your content to its cloud "on a regular basis to create ideas for you with machine learning and AI models." Meaning you are regularly giving Meta access to everything in your camera roll for it to scan with its systems and feed to its Meta AI models. The mobile app help page says that enabling this feature means you agree to Meta's AI terms. So let's take a closer look at Meta's AI terms. The camera cloud processing page says your photos won't be used for advertising targeting. But Meta's general AI terms say the company may share the info you share with Meta AI with third parties (like search engines) in order to fulfill your AI requests. It also says you agree not to upload images of people from Illinois or Texas. So there are more than a few confusing elements. I reached out to Meta for clarification and did not get an immediate response. Here's how to make sure you're not sharing your photos with Meta AI: This feature is currently only available on the mobile app, so you only need to check this on your iPhone or Android. If you do have this setting enabled but then change your mind, Meta's help page says it will remove your content from its cloud after 30 days. There's no way to confirm its removal, though.

Prepare to Share All Your Pics With Meta If You Turn On Facebook's New AI Photo Tool

There's good news and bad news: The bad news is that Meta's continued development of generative AI has led it to add a privacy nightmare setting to its Facebook app. The good news is that, in a big departure from Meta's status quo, you have control over whether you participate. It's all about whether the company and its AI get access to your camera roll and all the pictures there, even the ones you haven't posted anywhere. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has been trying to keep up with AI heavyweights for the past few years in an ultracompetitive race to make the most advanced AI models. Meta distinguished itself by adding its AI to its social media apps, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger. Nowadays, most of us who use those apps have to interact with Meta AI, even if we don't want to. The company also uses the social media posts that its adult users publicly share to train its AI. There is no way to opt out of training, though European users can object to their data being used thanks to more stringent privacy laws protecting them. For those of us who are concerned about AI systems eating up the content we share online, it's been a nonstop headache. So it's not totally surprising to see this feature on Facebook. It's called camera roll cloud processing, and Facebook says it's a way to get more creative help when you share photos and videos. It pulls from your newer pictures, from the last 30 days or so, and recommends the best options, makes AI edits or entirely reimagines your photos with AI. It can also pull from your older photos for themed compilations like travel highlights, monthly recaps and birthday and special event content. You also get more ways to sort your photos and videos by topic and suggestions from Meta about the best photos to share. Before you opt in, you need to understand the privacy implications. When you allow camera roll cloud processing, Meta can "automatically upload your photos and videos to our cloud so that we can create personalized creative ideas for you." This is not the same as allowing Meta access to your camera roll so you can post photos and videos you took. If you enable this additional setting, Meta can upload your content to its cloud "on a regular basis to create ideas for you with machine learning and AI models." Meaning Meta will have continual access to your photos, even if you don't post them on Facebook or post the newly created suggestions. A Meta spokesperson said, "We're exploring ways to make content sharing easier for people on Facebook by testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person's camera roll. These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you -- unless you decide to share them -- and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test." The mobile app help page says that enabling this feature means you agree to Meta's AI terms, and it says your photos won't be used for advertising targeting. The feature is in early stages of testing for US- and- Canada based users, but it won't be available for folks who live in Illinois or Texas. Your suggested photo won't be shared automatically unless you choose to. Here's how to access the setting: This feature is currently only available on the iPhone or Android mobile apps. If you have this setting enabled but then change your mind, Meta's help page says it will remove your content from its cloud after 30 days. There's no way to confirm its removal, though.

Facebook is starting to feed its Meta AI with private, unpublished photos

Tina Nguyen is a senior reporter for The Verge, covering the Trump administration, Elon Musk's takeover of the federal government, and the tech industry's embrace of the MAGA movement. For years, Meta's trained its AI programs using the billions of public images uploaded by users onto Facebook and Instagram's servers. But apparently, Meta has decided to try training its AI on the billions of images that users haven't uploaded to those servers. On Friday, TechCrunch reported that Facebook users trying to post something on the Story feature have encountered pop-up messages asking if they'd like to opt into "cloud processing", which would allow Facebook to "select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on a regular basis", to generate "ideas like collages, recaps, AI restyling or themes like birthdays or graduations." By allowing this feature, the message continues, users are agreeing to Meta AI terms, which allows their AI to analyze "media and facial features" of those unpublished photos, as well as the date said photos were taken, and the presence of other people or objects in them. You further grant Meta the right to "retain and use" that personal information. Meta recently acknowledged that it's scraped the data from all the content that's been published on Facebook and Instagram since 2007 to train its generative AI models. Though the company stated that it's only used public posts uploaded from adult users over the age of 18, it has long been vague about exactly what "public" entails, as well as what counted as an "adult user" in 2007. Unlike Google, which explicitly states that it does not train generative AI models with personal data gleaned from Google Photos, Meta's current AI usage terms, which have been in place since June 23, 2024, do not provide any clarity as to whether unpublished photos accessed through "cloud processing" are exempt from being used as training data. Meta did not return TechCrunch's request for comment; The Verge has reached out for comment as well. Thankfully, Facebook users do have an option to turn off camera roll cloud processing in their settings, which, once activated, will also start removing unpublished photos from the cloud after 30 days. But the workaround, disguised as a feature, suggest a new incursion into our private data, one that bypasses the point of friction known as conscientiously deciding to post a photo for public consumption. And according to Reddit posts found by TechCrunch, Meta's already offering AI restyling suggestions on previously-uploaded photos, even if users hadn't been aware of the feature: one user reported that Facebook had Studio Ghiblified her wedding photos without her knowledge.

Regrettable Photos? Facebook Wants Its AI to Access Your Camera Roll

Facebook has been using your publicly available data, including your posts, photos, and comments, to train its AI since 2007, but now, Meta AI wants to access photos you haven't even uploaded yet. Facebook users trying to use its "Story" feature are being asked to opt into "cloud processing" via a pop-up, TechCrunch reports. If you click "Allow," Facebook will be able to generate and suggest new content based on what's inside your camera roll, including things like collages, recaps, AI restylings, or themes like "birthdays or graduations." But approving the request will mean that Facebook will upload photos from your camera roll to Meta's servers on an "ongoing basis" to be processed. According to Meta AI's Terms of Service, once you agree, Meta can analyze everything from the facial data of your friends and family to the location where your snaps were taken. At present, it appears the test feature is only available to users in the US and Canada. The change has already attracted a degree of backlash from some users on X and Bluesky, and Reddit. If you get cold feet after opting into the feature, there is a way out. Head to Facebook's Settings page before going to the Preferences section. When you reach "Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions," you'll find two toggles: one that allows Facebook to make suggestions based on your camera roll, and another that permits it to make AI-infused versions of your snaps. But there is some good news for people concerned about AI overreach: the pop-up messages confirm that the media in your camera roll won't be used for ad targeting. In addition, in a statement to TechCrunch, a Meta spokesperson confirmed that though AI will be used to make creative suggestions based on your camera roll, these photos "are not used to improve AI models in this test." The recent nod toward helping users create creative AI-generated content could be a ploy to attract younger audiences who have been drifting away from the social network. Facebook saw an almost 40% drop in the number of teen users between 2014 and 2022 -- the largest decline of any social media platform, even surpassing older favorites like the image-sharing platform Tumblr. In response, it has been testing new features it hopes will reel Gen Z and Millennial audiences back in.

Facebook's New AI Tool Asks to Upload Your Photos for Story Ideas, Sparking Privacy Concerns

Facebook, the social network platform owned by Meta, is asking for users to upload pictures from their phones to suggest collages, recaps, and other ideas using artificial intelligence (AI), including those that have not been directly uploaded to the service. According to TechCrunch, which first reported the feature, users are being served a new pop-up message asking for permission to "allow cloud processing" when they are attempting to create a new Story on Facebook. "To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location or themes," the company notes in the pop-up. "Only you can see suggestions. Your media won't be used for ads targeting. We'll check it for safety and integrity purposes." Should users consent to their photos being processed on the cloud, Meta also states that they are agreeing to its AI terms, which allow it to analyze their media and facial features. On a help page, Meta says "this feature isn't yet available for everyone," and that it's limited to users in the United States and Canada. It also pointed out to TechCrunch that these AI suggestions are opt-in and can be disabled at any time. The development is yet another example of how companies are racing to integrate AI features into their products, oftentimes at the cost of user privacy. Meta says its new AI feature won't be used for targeted ads, but experts still have concerns. When people upload personal photos or videos -- even if they agree to it -- it's unclear how long that data is kept or who can see it. Since the processing happens in the cloud, there are risks, especially with things like facial recognition and hidden details such as time or location. Even if it's not used for ads, this kind of data could still end up in training datasets or be used to build user profiles. It's a bit like handing your photo album to an algorithm that quietly learns your habits, preferences, and patterns over time. Last month, Meta began to train its AI models using public data shared by adults across its platforms in the European Union after it received approval from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC). The company suspended the use of generative AI tools in Brazil in July 2024 in response to privacy concerns raised by the government. The social media giant has also added AI features to WhatsApp, the most recent being the ability to summarize unread messages in chats using a privacy-focused approach it calls Private Processing. This change is part of a bigger trend in generative AI, where tech companies mix convenience with tracking. Features like auto-made collages or smart story suggestions may seem helpful, but they rely on AI that watches how you use your devices -- not just the app. That's why privacy settings, clear consent, and limiting data collection are more important than ever. Facebook's AI feature also comes as one of Germany's data protection watchdogs called on Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek's apps from their respective app stores due to unlawful user data transfers to China, following similar concerns raised by several countries at the start of the year. "The service processes extensive personal data of the users, including all text entries, chat histories and uploaded files as well as information about the location, the devices used and networks," according to a statement released by the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information. "The service transmits the collected personal data of the users to Chinese processors and stores it on servers in China." These transfers violate the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, given the lack of guarantees that the data of German users in China are protected at a level equivalent to the bloc. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the Chinese AI company is assisting the country's military and intelligence operations, and that it's sharing user information with Beijing, citing an anonymous U.S. Department of State official. A couple of weeks ago, OpenAI also landed a $200 million with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains." The company said it will help the Pentagon "identify and prototype how frontier AI can transform its administrative operations, from improving how service members and their families get health care, to streamlining how they look at program and acquisition data, to supporting proactive cyber defense."

Facebook test uses Meta AI to process photos you've yet to upload

Facebook has been showing some users a pop-up message asking them if they want to allow the social network to create collages, recaps and AI restylings using photos they've yet to upload from their camera roll. According to TechCrunch, Facebook has been showing users the message when they upload a new Story on the app. It doesn't pop up for everyone, however, since we weren't able to replicate the event. In that notification, Meta wrote that in order to create ideas for users, it'll select media from their camera roll and upload it to the company's cloud "on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location and themes." The message also said that the media won't be used for ads targeting, but its wording raised concerns about the possibility of Meta using people's camera roll files to train its artificial intelligence technology. Meta assued The Verge that it's not "currently training [its] AI models with these photos." The company's comms manager, Maria Cubeta, told the publication that Meta "testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person's camera roll" as part of its efforts to explore ways to make content sharing easier. "These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you -- unless you decide to share them -- and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test," she said. The test feature has a limited reach, but it has been ongoing for some time, seeing as some users have reported seeing it earlier this year. In fact, Facebook already has a Help page for it, giving users instructions on how to allow and disallow "creative ideas with camera roll cloud processing" on Facebook. For those who've previously clicked Allow when the message popped up for them, they can go to Settings and switch it off in the "Camera roll sharing suggestions" section under Preferences.

Facebook wants to access your camera roll for Meta AI photo suggestions

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. A hot potato: The issue of user content being used to train AI is a controversial one. Meta has been doing it with publicly available data for a while now, but its latest move is causing even more outcry: Facebook is asking for access to users' camera rolls so Meta AI can offer suggested edits to photos that haven't been uploaded. The intrusive request appears when Facebook users create a new "Story" on the app. TechCrunch reports that it's here where a popup appears asking if users want to opt in to "cloud processing." The message explains that allowing cloud processing gives Facebook permission to search through your camera roll and generate content that you might want to upload to the platform. This includes making collages, recaps, AI restylings, and creating themes such as birthdays and locations. Approving this request also means giving Facebook permission to upload media from your camera roll to its servers on an "ongoing basis," based on information such as time, location, or themes. While the popup tries to assuage fears by explaining that only the user sees the suggestions and they won't be used for ad targeting, tapping allow does mean agreeing to Meta's AI Terms. These allows Meta's AI to analyze your media, the facial features of anyone in your camera roll, and the dates and locations where the images were taken. Meta adds that it will use information like dates and presence of people and objects to create ideas. In 2024, Meta announced that it would use public posts and photos from users to train its AI. There's no way of opting out in the US, meaning making posts private is the only way to stop new content from being accessed. Those in the EU and UK can opt out, but the process is an arduous one - likely intentionally so. If, for some reason, you do allow Meta access to your phone's library, there is a way to undo this action. Simply toggle the appropriate options in Settings under the Preferences section for camera roll suggestions and cloud processing. Meta confirmed that the feature is a test. "We're exploring ways to make content sharing easier for people on Facebook by testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person's camera roll," a spokesperson told TechCrunch. They added that the media on a phone will not be used to improve AI models - unless you upload it and make the post public, presumably.

Turn off this feature! Facebook wants the private photos on your phone

Facebook is asking users for permission to automatically upload private, unpublished images for cloud processing. A new pop-up from Meta is causing a stir. Facebook users who want to upload stories are prompted to share their photos for "cloud processing," reports The Verge. But this also allows Meta AI to access images from their smartphones, even ones that haven't been published to Facebook. This raises questions about data privacy. By agreeing to "cloud processing," you enable Meta AI to analyze your private photos. Users who activate the feature can have their photos used for collages, photo themes, or AI-generated edits. However, this gives Meta access to all images in the smartphone's storage. The feature is currently being tested and rolling out in Meta's apps. Users must actively agree to use it. However, the idea of Meta AI being able to view private photos is dubious at best. On platforms such as X and Reddit, users are expressing concerns that Meta could use the photos to train its AI models, despite promises to the contrary. Meta has clarified to The Verge that the photos are not currently being used to train AI models. However, there was no clear answer to questions as to whether this is ruled out in the future. A Meta spokesperson pointed out that the feature is voluntary and that users are informed exactly what data is being used. Nevertheless, the concern remains that the unclear communication and far-reaching access rights could undermine user trust. To protect themselves, users should scrutinize the feature critically before activating it. If you have any concerns, you can deactivate the "cloud processing" option in Facebook's app settings. It's also advisable to only upload photos that you absolutely want to share, and to regularly check the app's permissions. The new feature shows how close the link is between data privacy and AI development. Meta faces the challenge of offering innovative features without losing the trust of users. Until it's clear how the data will be used in the long term, users should remain cautious and keep an eye on developments.

Facebook determined to use Meta AI -- even on the private photos in your camera roll

Facebook is pretty sure you want AI-edited versions of every photo in your phone's camera roll, whether or not they're uploaded to Facebook. That's what you want, right? The Verge reported that when users open the Facebook app on their phones and navigate to adding a photo or video from their camera roll to their Facebook Stories, a screen pops up that asks if they'd like to opt into "cloud processing to get creative ideas made for you from your camera roll." The popup, which TechCrunch screenshotted, reads: "The best of your camera roll, curated for you: Get ideas like collages, recaps, AI restyling or themes like birthdays or graduations. To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location, or themes. Only you see these suggestions. Your media won't be used for ads targeting. We'll check it for safety and integrity purposes." If you tap "Allow," you're agreeing to Meta's AI Terms, which are, as terms tend to be, long. It allows Meta AI to analyze media and facial features and "use info like date and presence of people or objects." But not every user is facing this popup -- it's just a test, Meta spokesperson Maria Cubeta told TechCrunch. "We're exploring ways to make content sharing easier for people on Facebook by testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person's camera roll," she said. "These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you - unless you decide to share them - and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test." TechCrunch reported that Facebook is currently testing suggestions in the US and Canada, but it's clear that not every user has spotted the pop-up -- myself included. Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.

Facebook Tests Using Meta AI to Process Photos Prior to Uploading

Facebook is quietly testing a new AI-powered feature that edits users' photos -- even ones that haven't been uploaded and remain on a user's device. The experimental tool appears when some users attempt to post a Facebook Story, prompting them to opt into what Meta calls "cloud processing." This tool is ostensibly designed to create automatic content suggestions, such as AI photo edits, collages, and recaps. If granted permission, Facebook uploads users' local media to Meta's servers on an ongoing basis to generate creative content based on factors like date, location, or themes. The photos are only shown to the user unless they decide to shared them. Meta insists they are not currently being used for ad targeting or AI training. But as Tech Crunch notes, enabling the feature requires agreeing to Meta's AI Terms of Service that allows image and facial feature analysis and the retention of personal information. Tech Crunch calls it a "slippery slope" regarding privacy concerns and AI. It marks a shift from Meta training AI only on publicly shared photos, which Meta has publicly admitted to, to potentially accessing private, unpublished media to keep building its AI products. While Meta claims the feature, which has been available for some time, doesn't currently train its AI models with these camera roll images, it hasn't ruled out future changes to that policy. Critics argue this "opt-in" model can feel deceptively frictionless, as it blurs the line between personal and public data. The company says it's only accessing 30 days' worth of media at a time, though some content older than 30 days may still be used for suggestions. One Reddit user says Facebook turned her wedding photo into a Studio Ghibli-style image. Users who've enabled the feature can disable it via the Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions section in Facebook's Preferences settings, which also begins deleting uploaded images after 30 days. While the feature is being positioned as a way to make sharing easier, it echoes Meta's broader ambitions to integrate AI more deeply into user experiences. And unlike platforms such as Google Photos, Meta has not clarified whether data used for AI-powered photo suggestions will remain exempt from future AI model training. The feature is currently being tested in the U.S. and Canada.

Meta wants to upload every photo you have to its cloud to give you AI suggestions

Meta's latest feature gives Facebook the power to continuously upload your private photos to its cloud -- even the ones you never intended to share. Here's how to stop it. In a time where internet users are goaded into giving away their data to nearly every company, Meta has decided to take it several steps further. It wants you to give Facebook access to your entire camera roll and allow it to upload your photos to its cloud. The "feature," spotted by TechCrunch has recently begun rolling out to users. When creating a story, a prompt pops up and asks users to opt into "cloud processing." While that sounds innocuous enough, it becomes less so once you read what Meta means by that. In its own words, it says: "To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location, or themes." While it claims that the images won't be used for ad targeting, it still doesn't make us feel particularly good. Even more so when you delve into the Meta AI terms of Service and see their liability clause. If you opt into this new feature, just remember that you're giving Meta full access to all the images on your camera roll, including ones you most definitely don't want anyone else to see. And not only are you giving it access, you're giving it the right to upload those images into its cloud. Considering Meta's history with protecting user data, we'd strongly suggest opting out of cloud computing. After all, it was less than a year ago that we found out Meta had been storing over half a billion users' passwords in plain text. And, considering Meta also owns Instagram, it wouldn't be unheard of for the changes to apply to Instagram as well. If you use either app, be sure you read any pop-up feature opt-ins -- companies frequently try to downplay the extent to which they'll use your data. In the event that you -- or someone you know -- opts in and wants back out, you can revoke consent at any time. Here's how to do it:

Meta Is Being Incredibly Sketchy About Training Its AI on Your Private Photos

Meta is demanding access to all of your photos, even the ones you haven't uploaded anywhere yet -- and it's being incredibly shifty about what it intends to do with them. As The Verge reports, the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company refuses to rule out the possibility that it will use your phone's camera roll to train its AI models, and could only provide the assurance that it's not "currently" doing so. If the situation changes in the future, it would be a striking testament to the AI industry's desperation for clean, AI-pollution-free sources of training data. For context, last week Facebook began showing users a prompt asking them to opt into "cloud processing," TechCrunch reported. Should you consent, this allows Facebook to grab stuff from your camera roll and upload it to Facebook's servers "on a regular basis" so it can generate recaps and "AI restylings" of your photos. The important detail is that by opting in, Meta is asking you to agree to its AI terms, which state that, "once shared, you agree that Meta will analyze those images, including facial features, using AI." Meta would also gain the right to "retain and use" the information shared with its AI systems. Your alarm bells should already be ringing. Any data that gets fed into an AI system runs the risk of being coughed up or reproduced in some shape or form. And asking for access to your entire camera roll so Meta's tech can "analyze" your photos is a huge and invasive escalation -- it's shameless that Meta's even asking. Apparently, already using everyone's billions of Facebook and Instagram posts made since 2007 wasn't enough for Zuckerberg's tech juggernaut. Moreover, Meta's AI terms don't make it clear if your unpublished camera roll photos it uses for "cloud processing" are safe from AI training. That's in stark contrast with the terms outlined for apps like Google Photos, the Verge noted, which explicitly state that your personal info won't be used as training data. What feels the most telling of all is that, when pressed for comment, Meta wouldn't speak on how it plans to use this data in the future. "[The Verge's headline] implies we are currently training our AI models with these photos, which we aren't. This test doesn't use people's photos to improve or train our AI models," Meta public affairs manager Ryan Daniels told the Verge. "These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you -- unless you decide to share them -- and can be turned off at any time," said Meta comms manager Maria Cubeta in a statement, via the Verge. "Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test." The spokespeople clarified that opting in gives Meta permission to retrieve 30 days' worth of unpublished camera roll content at a time, rather than all at once -- though the terms also state that some of its AI's "suggestions" related to themes like weddings and graduations may be made on photos older than that. Tech companies have already scraped virtually the entire surface internet for data. That's bad enough, but the saving grace was that this was -- at least ostensibly, rather than in actual fact -- content that people consciously chose to make public. Now, Meta is taking a big step towards dissolving that thin barrier and could make it the norm for people to divulge their unpublished content, while pretending it's still safe in their camera rolls. It speaks to just how badly the tech industry is aching for fresh brain food for its AI models, which are under threat of collapsing on their current diet of increasingly AI-generated gruel as it becomes harder to access pure sources of human-made content. While training may be off the table for now, Meta is certainly letting its AI process the content in your camera roll and your social media profiles. In its coverage, TechCrunch spotted some Facebook users who complained that their old photos had automatically been turned into anime-style images using Meta AI.

Change This Setting to Stop Meta From Using Your Facebook Photos to Train Its AI

Meta is prompting users to grant ongoing access to their camera roll photos -- including media they haven't specifically uploaded to Facebook -- in order to receive AI-edited and curated images and suggestions for "creative ideas." As TechCrunch reports, Meta is currently testing a feature that leads to some Facebook users seeing a pop-up requesting permission for "cloud processing." The message appears when users attempt to create a new Story on Facebook and, if agreed to, would permit Meta to upload media from your device to its servers on an "ongoing basis" in order to suggest collages, recaps, or AI restyling. As we've written, Meta AI is among the absolute worst when it comes to privacy and security. (Meta in general has a questionable history with protecting user data.) If you allow Meta access to your camera roll for image processing, you agree to Meta's AI terms, which include the right to analyze your media and facial features and "retain and use" personal information you've shared. While Facebook has said the feature is a test, the ability to opt into giving Meta access to your photos doesn't seem to be brand new. You can enable it in your Facebook settings, as it's off by default, but you probably shouldn't, and you should decline the pop-up prompt if you don't want to hand more data over to Meta. If you see the pop-up on Facebook, you can tap Don't allow to block the AI suggestion feature from accessing your camera roll. You can ensure it is disabled in your Facebook app settings: Go to the Menu by tapping your profile photo followed by the Settings icon. Scroll to Camera roll sharing suggestions and check that Get creative ideas made for you by allowing camera roll cloud processing is toggled off. You should also take this opportunity to audit which apps have access to your photo library and revoke any permissions that aren't absolutely necessary for the app's primary functionality. While these permissions may be mostly innocuous, there are malware campaigns that target sensitive information found in your photos and screenshots.

Facebook users say they've caught the app analyzing their camera roll with Meta AI⁠ without their knowledge -- here's how to make sure it doesn't happen

You might want to double-check your Facebook privacy settings. You might notice eerily familiar AI-generated images in your Story suggestions on the Facebook app lately -- because Facebook has been automatically creating AI-generated versions of photos from users' camera rolls. If you try creating a new Story on Facebook right now, you could get a pop-up asking if you want to "Allow cloud processing to get creative ideas made for you from your camera roll." TechCrunch has screenshots of what this pop-up looks like so you know what to look for. The description for the feature states, "To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location or themes." That effectively means that if you agree to turn this feature on, you're giving Facebook permission to continuously crawl your entire camera roll, pulling random photos from it and uploading them to the cloud, where they might get fed through Meta's AI image generator. To be clear, these photos aren't being posted on Facebook automatically. They'll only be visible to you as suggestions for posts, but they'll be generated automatically if you agree to the feature, and for my money, it's another example of Meta getting way too comfortable with our personal data. It's also worth noting that this feature is only on the Facebook app for iOS and Android, not on PC or the web version of Facebook, so if you don't have the app installed on your phone, you're in the clear. However, if you do have the Facebook app installed, you should probably double-check your privacy settings. Some users have reported already seeing AI-generated versions of their photos in their suggestions, seemingly without getting a pop-up about this new feature. If that's the case for you, you might have already agreed to the feature by accident or you may need to tweak your Facebook privacy settings. It's also worth noting that users in the EU may have received an email from Facebook offering an option to opt out, but if you didn't reply, that may have counted as opting in. Regardless, you should be able to turn off this feature with just a few taps. In the Facebook app, tap the "Settings & privacy" drop-down and select "Settings" then scroll down to "Camera roll sharing suggestions." Here you should see two options for sharing your camera roll with Facebook, including one to "Get creative ideas made for you by allowing camera roll cloud processing." Turn both off and you should be good to go. For extra security, you can also go into your phone's settings and adjust Facebook's app permissions to block it from accessing your photos and videos (and any other data you want to keep private).

Facebook Now Wants to Access Your Camera Roll to Suggest AI Edits

Once access is given, Facebook will automatically add media to its cloud Facebook is reportedly asking users to share private media from their camera roll to Meta's cloud servers. As per the report, a pop-up message requesting access appears when users upload a photo or a video to Stories. The social media giant reportedly says that by giving access, Meta AI will suggest collages and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered edits that they can post in Stories. However, it will reportedly also allow the company to analyse facial data and the presence of objects and people in these media files. According to a TechCrunch report, some users have begun seeing a new pop-up message when posting Stories on the Facebook app. Based on an image of the message shared by the publication, Meta wants to access media from a user's camera roll to recommend AI-powered collages, restyling tools, recaps, and occasion-based posts such as birthdays and anniversaries. However, for Meta to be able to make these suggestions, users will have to give it access to their unshared images and videos that are saved on their devices. The message states, "To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location or themes." To reassure users about any privacy concerns, the company adds that only the user will see these suggestions, and users' media will not be used for ad targeting. However, by accepting this, users will also agree to Meta's AI terms, which state that "Media and facial features can be analysed by Meta AI." Additionally, the AI models will also collect data such as date and the presence of people or objects. Meta's public affairs manager, Ryan Daniels, told The Verge that the company is not going to train its AI models with the unpublished photos and videos. The company's communications manager, Maria Cubeta, told the publication that the feature is entirely opt-in and that "These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you - unless you decide to share them - and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test" Additionally, the report stated that while the opt-in only lets Meta retrieve media files from the last 30 days, however, suggestions based on themes, such as pets and weddings, could include media older than 30 days. On the surface, it appears Meta has checked all the privacy concern boxes that users might have. However, the company's phrasing makes it seem that the decision of not training AI models on users' camera roll only applies for this "test," and this can change in the future with a wider rollout. At this time, Meta has not explicitly said that it will never train models on this media or use the data to improve them.