Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is now asking users for deeper access to their phones.
The company wants permission to scan photos in your camera roll, even the ones you have not posted online.
This request appears when you create a new Facebook Story. A prompt appears on the screen that offers to use “cloud processing” to generate creative suggestions for your images.
These may include collages, AI restylings, recaps, or themed edits. And to do this, Meta must upload your photos to its servers. That includes personal images you’ve never shared on Facebook.
Cloud Processing
Once you agree, Meta begins scanning your camera roll. The uploads also happen regularly; Meta gets data like time, location, and subject matter of each image.
Meta’s AI then analyzes your photos. It checks for facial features, people, places, and objects to offer you new ways to share your memories.
Importantly, the suggestions stay private; only you can view them. Meta also states that it will not use these images for advertising purposes.
However, the terms are broader than they appear.
What the AI Terms Really Allow
When you click “Allow,” you accept Meta’s AI Terms. These terms give Meta the right to:
- Analyze your photos using AI.
- Identify faces and generate new content based on your images.
- Summarize and modify the contents of your photos.
- Store and reuse your data to improve its AI systems.
Meta can also review your interactions with its AI, and this may involve human reviewers.
The company may also retain anything you submit, whether it’s a prompt, feedback, or an image.
What qualifies as “personal information” is not clearly defined. Meta’s language leaves room for interpretation.
Users Are Starting to Notice
Some Facebook users have begun sharing their concerns. A few noticed that the app suggested AI restylings of older photos.
In one case, Meta turned a previously shared photo into an anime version. Others have asked how to disable the feature. It’s not easy to find.
The option sits under Settings > Preferences > Camera roll sharing suggestions. There are two switches:
- The first allows Meta to suggest photos from your roll.
- The second, cloud processing, enables full AI image generation.
Both can be turned off. However, most users are not aware that these settings exist.
Also read: Meta’s AI Plans Raise Privacy Concerns in the UK
Data Privacy
Meta claims the feature enhances creativity. But the cost is access to personal data; data not originally shared on the platform.
This is an unpleasant development. Previously, Meta trained its AI using public posts, comments, and shared content. Now, it seeks access to private user media.
No Clear Records
Meta’s AI terms have been active since June 23, 2024. However, older versions are no longer available and were not preserved in the Internet Archive.
This means users cannot compare today’s terms with those from previous months. It also means there is no clear record of when these policy changes took effect.
Such a lack of accountability makes it difficult for users to understand what they have agreed to over time.
