Meta's AI app now warns users that their shared chats will be publicly visible to everyone, thereby safeguarding private information.
Meta AI: Meta is continuously experimenting with its AI chat service, but following recent criticism, the company has implemented a significant change concerning user privacy. Now, whenever a user attempts to publicly share a chat on the Meta AI app to the Discover feed, they will receive a clear warning message.
The primary goal of this change is to inform users that the content they share will be visible to everyone, including any private or sensitive information.
What's the new change?
Now, when a user taps the 'Share' button on the Meta AI app, a full-screen pop-up window appears. This window displays the message: 'Your posted prompts are public and visible to everyone. Your prompts may be suggested by Meta on other Meta apps. Please avoid sharing personal or sensitive information.'
A hyperlink labeled 'Manage Settings' is also included, allowing users to control their posting preferences—such as whether their shared content is displayed on other Meta platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Only after reading and acknowledging this warning can users tap the 'Post to Feed' button and share their conversation to the Discover feed.
Why this change?
Recently, many users of the Meta AI app complained that private chats or sensitive conversations were publicly visible on the Discover feed. Several reports indicated that users were unaware that their in-app conversations could become public.
This led to significant criticism of Meta. Amidst concerns about privacy and the security of user information, the company has now rolled out this safety feature to alert users to the risks of public posts.
Special Focus on Image Posts
According to a Business Insider report, Meta is prioritizing image-based posts in the Discover feed, while the visibility of text-based posts has decreased. This is also considered part of the new policy to prevent confidential chats or private text from becoming public.
Another concerning issue is that when users share an image post, the details include the original, unedited version of the image. This allows anyone to download or save the original image, potentially compromising user privacy.
Users Gain More Control
The new warning message is not just an alert; it also gives users control over their content. By clicking the 'Manage Settings' link, users can choose:
- Whether their posts appear on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Whether their Discover feed posts are used in Meta AI suggestions.
- Whether they want to see such warnings again in the future.
When and How Does This Message Appear?
According to Gadgets 360, this warning initially appeared only to some users upon their first share, but it is now being seen more frequently. It is believed that Meta is rolling out this feature in phases, and it will become permanently active for all users in the future.
