NOYB files GDPR complaint against X for alleged AI data misuse

Austrian advocacy group NOYB filed a lawsuit against social media platform X on Monday, blaming the Elon Musk-owned firm for training its artificial intelligence (AI) with users’ personal data without their permission, infringing EU privacy regulations.

On Monday, Austrian advocacy group NOYB, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, filed a significant complaint against social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The complaint accuses the Elon Musk-owned company of violating EU privacy law by using users’ personal data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems without obtaining their consent.

Scope of the Complaint

The complaint, grounded in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), was submitted to data protection authorities in nine European Union countries.

NOYB’s action aims to intensify pressure on Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which serves as the lead EU regulator for many U.S. tech firms due to their EU operations being headquartered in Ireland.

Irish DPC’s Role and Court Hearing

The Irish DPC has already sought an order to restrict or suspend X from processing users’ data for AI development purposes.

In a recent court hearing, it was revealed that X had agreed not to use personal data from EU users to train its AI systems unless those users had been given the option to withdraw their consent. However, the court also found that X only provided this option weeks after it had already begun collecting the data.

NOYB’s Concerns

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NOYB’s complaint focuses on the broader issues of data processing legality and consent, arguing that X has not fully complied with EU law, which mandates user consent for such data usage. Schrems emphasized that the case is about ensuring that X adheres to GDPR requirements, particularly the need for user consent.

X’s Response

As of now, X has not responded to the complaint. However, the company’s Global Government Affairs account indicated last week that it would continue to cooperate with the DPC on AI-related issues.

Wider Implications

This complaint follows similar actions against other tech giants. In June, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, delayed the European launch of its AI assistant following advice from the Irish DPC, after NOYB lodged complaints in multiple countries over the use of personal data for AI training.