I'm quoted here by TechCrunch on #Zoom's #EuLaw problems in justifying their claim that they can use personal #data gathered from users of their service to train #AI models.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/08/zoom-data-mining-for-ai-terms-gdpr-eprivacy/
![“Zoom is approaching this in terms of ownership of personal data,” he argues. “There’s non personal data and personal data but they’re not distinguishing between those two. Instead they’re distinguishing between content data (“customer content data”) and what they call telemetry data. That is metadata. Therefore they’re approaching this with a framework that isn’t compatible with EU law. And this is what has led them to make assertions in respect of ownership of data — you can’t own personal data. You can only be either the controller or the processor. Because the person continues to have rights as the data subject.
“The claim that they can do what they like with metadata runs contrary to Article 4 of the GDPR which defines what is personal data — and specifically runs contrary to the decision in the Digital Rights Ireland case and a whole string of subsequent cases confirming that metadata can be, and frequently is, personal data — and sometimes sensitive personal data, because it can reveal relationships [e.g. trade union membership, legal counsel, a journalist’s sources etc].”
It also, therefore, needs consent to be opt in, not opt out. So, basically, no pre-checked boxes that only an admin can uncheck, and with nothing but a vague “notice” sent to other users that essentially forces them to consent after the fact or else quit the app; which is not a free and unbundled choice under EU law.](https://cdn.masto.host/mastodonie/media_attachments/files/110/859/329/454/374/552/original/8b7feef9fddcea00.png)
@Tupp_ed It’s a reminder (it’s fair to say that we collectively need them once in a while) that while the EU is imperfect and flawed, it protects us from so much ill-intent that is taken for granted elsewhere.
@kevinteljeur @Tupp_ed at a festival recently - an American made a suggestion about emailing all the people who registered in advance giving email addresses.
He really couldn't understand why all the Europeans present strongly objected on principle and he was baffled when it was explained that this was against EU law unless they had expressly opted in to such communications.
EU residents often don't know how good they have it with those rules!
@DToher @Tupp_ed Like I say, I know it enables bad things too (and one doesn’t cancel out the other) but we don’t even hear about some of the stuff that gets physically headed off before it becomes a problem, and it’s a shame. People just doing their jobs.
I’m always surprised at how we get mocked by some people from North America for having protections.
@Tupp_ed How did Zoom AI system learn to prepare meeting summaries if it hasn't been looking at meetings already? What data sets did they use?