Facebook now uses the photos in your phone to train its Meta AI (if you allow it)

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Tech giants like Google and Microsoft, as well as social networks like Facebook, have been pushing for more laxed regulations of their AI tools. Unfortunately, in their endeavor to refine their AI, many times these companies purposefully invade the privacy of their users, even though often times that appears to be done with their consent.In this regard, it looks like Facebook has added a new AI-related feature for both iOS and Android users, which asks them to opt into “cloud processing,” which in turn will allow the social network to provide them with “creative ideas” when posting a new Story.

Facebook users on phones must tap “Allow” if they want to start using this feature and agree to Meta’s AI Terms of Service. Once they agree, Facebook will be able to use its AI to analyze their media and facial features. More importantly, Meta’s AI terms mention that it has the right to “retain and use” all personal information users who agreed with its terms have shared, in order to offer these suggestions.

Some Facebook users on Android and iOS have noticed a new option under the Settings, which asks for user’s permission to enroll if they want to “get camera roll suggestions when you’re browsing Facebook.”

When this feature is enabled, Facebook users will “occasionally see photos and videos from your camera roll as new sharing suggestions.” Facebook claims that it will use basic camera roll data, including videos the user has favorited, as well as when exactly the photos were taken.

Even more intrusive is the option below, which is meant to provide users with “personalized creative ideas, like travel highlights and collages.” In order to receive these, Facebook users must allow Meta to select media from their camera roll and upload it to the company’s cloud “on an ongoing basis.”

Then, Facebook will choose media based on info like time, location, themes and presences of people or objects. According to the social giant, only you will be able to see the suggestions, but you can share them if you want.

Facebook cloud processing | Image credit: TechCrunch

Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s indeed running a test in the US and Canada, but mobile users won’t be affected by this feature unless they decide to opt-in.

We’re exploring ways to make content sharing easier for people on Facebook by testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person’s camera roll. These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you – unless you decide to share them – and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test.

– Maria Cubeta, Communications Manager, Video at Facebook, June 2025

Meta has been one of the most aggressive proponents of AI. The company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is obsessed with creating a “superintelligence,” which is why Meta now has a new division called Meta Superintelligence Labs.

The move follows a rather lukewarm reception of Meta’s Llama 4 model, which seems to have been outsmarted by the competition including DeepSeek, Google, and OpenAI.