Meta updated its commercial terms for business accounts earlier this month to permit the use of content from associated websites to train and maintain its products. The change was originally scheduled for October 30 but moved to November 20 following public backlash. Meta subsequently removed the word “train” from the list of permitted uses and restricted the scope to advertising and business products, though the terms still allow broad data scraping for development.
Legal rights for UK and EU users
Users in the United Kingdom and European Union have specific rights to object to data usage under the General Data Protection Regulation and the AI Act. The GDPR, enforceable since 2018, requires explicit consent for personal data use and grants the right to object. The AI Act, effective from 2024, sets rules for how companies handle personal data and allows individuals to withdraw consent at any time. The UK maintains its own version of the GDPR. The European Commission notes that these rules apply to personal data about individuals, not companies, unless information about a company identifies a specific natural person.
How to file an objection
Several users based in the UK and EU have shared steps to object on Instagram. One user, bookish.sil, posted a walkthrough on mobile: tap the three lines on the account screen, go to the privacy center, select “object,” and fill out a form explaining the objection. Meta sent an email confirming the approval. Another user, jenniqueart, posted a similar guide with the same outcome.
I tested the process using a VPN to locate my IP address in London. On desktop, I accessed the privacy center, clicked “Submit a privacy rights request” at the bottom, selected Instagram, and chose “How can I object to the processing of my information?” This led to a page where I could object to the use of my information for Meta AI or third parties as separate options.
When my location is based in the US, these options do not appear.
Clicking “object to the use of my information for Meta AI” returned an error stating the form is available only to people in certain regions. I repeated the test with a location set to Belgium and received the same result. I have asked Meta to clarify the discrepancy.
Users outside the UK and EU do not see these objection steps, and Meta’s platform changes frequently. Unless the situation changes before November 20, users outside these regions cannot object to the use of their data.
What it means
Business owners and creators in the UK and EU can currently stop their data from training Meta’s AI models by following specific steps in the privacy settings. Users elsewhere cannot access these options, leaving them unable to object under the current terms.
