Meta Shares AI with U.S. Military, Raising User Privacy Concerns
Meta Shares AI with U.S. Military, Raising User Privacy Concerns
Meta recently decided to allow the U.S. military access to its AI model, Llama, despite previous company rules against using it for military purposes. This exception applies to allied countries like the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Some users of Meta platforms—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger—may now worry that their data could indirectly support military uses.
Llama, Meta’s alternative to ChatGPT, is an open-source AI model. This means that, unlike ChatGPT, people can freely access, modify, and run Llama's source code. However, Meta’s version of “open source” has some restrictions, like limited commercial use and rules against harmful applications, which has sparked criticism. Some argue it doesn’t fully meet open-source standards.
Making an open-source AI available to the military raises security concerns. Open-source systems rely on public participation and transparency, which leaves them open to possible misuse or security risks. This collaboration between tech companies and military users introduces challenges for both public trust and data security.
Privacy concerns are growing among Meta’s users. When people use Llama-powered features in apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, they generate data. Meta hasn’t clearly stated how user data is handled in Llama’s training, so users may unknowingly contribute to data that could be used in military applications.
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