The Discover feed of the Meta AI app is reportedly inundated with users’ private messages and inquiries that have been unintentionally made public. Numerous reports indicate that personal text chats and image requests are appearing on the app’s social feed, leading to concerns about user privacy. Netizens have raised alarm, and experts are questioning the adequacy of the company’s measures to safeguard user data.
Meta AI App’s Social Feed Reportedly Contains Posts About Medical and Legal Queries
A report from TechCrunch highlights troubling posts on the Discover feed, including users asking for advice on tax evasion, seeking guidance on writing character reference letters for employees facing legal troubles, and even queries related to medical conditions, such as having “a bunch of red bumps on my inner thigh.”
The publication, which has also shared screenshots of such public posts, is not alone in its findings. Kylie Robinson, a Senior Correspondent at Wired, reported seeing posts where users questioned, “Do younger women like older white men?” among various other inquiries.
Furthermore, Calli Schroeder, Senior Counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, expressed concerns in an interview with Wired, stating she had encountered posts where individuals were sharing sensitive medical details, mental health issues, home addresses, and information about ongoing court cases.
While staff members at Gadgets 360 have not encountered overtly private posts, odd instances have been noted, such as users uploading selfies when only minor edits were requested from the chatbot. Some of these images reportedly include minors with altered hair colors. Additionally, several users on X (formerly Twitter) have shared screenshots showcasing similar private posts appearing on the social feed.
It remains unclear whether users were consciously aware that they were making information public in these instances. However, the nature of the queries and images suggests a strong possibility of unintentional sharing.
The process for publicly sharing a post on Meta AI involves two steps after interacting with the chatbot. A Share button becomes available at the top of the chat interface, which directs users to a “Preview” page. On this page, the AI generates an editable title, displays the query and response, and includes a prominent “Post” button at the bottom.
Critically, there are no clear indications for users that tapping the Post button will make the entire conversation publicly accessible. While tech-savvy users may easily navigate this feature, individuals with less familiarity with technology may inadvertently share their conversations without understanding the implications.
Upon launching the Meta AI app, the company stated, “And as always, you’re in control: nothing is shared to your feed unless you choose to post it.” However, the incidents reported raise valid concerns regarding whether the current two-step process adequately informs users about the potential consequences of clicking on the “Post” button.
