AI is busy undergoing its teenage growth spurt. One that is struggling with the concept of privacy and how to accommodate it, while simultaneously ingesting information to learn. Unfortunately that ingestion of data is tripping over all sorts of barriers and trampling on said privacy.
Just recently we had LinkedIn automatically enabling the AI ingestion of all their users’ data without so much as a notice or update of their T&C’s/privacy notice.
Before that it was Adobe who haphazardly updated it’s ToS and confusing all its users about how it uses their data.
When you have AI companies spouting nonsense like “Adobe execs say artists need to embrace AI or get left behind”, you know all you need to about what these companies think about your privacy. Which is nothing.
What’s next?
Six weeks ago, PayPal posted a 60-day notice warning of a forthcoming change to their Privacy Statement which will become effective at the end of November on the 27th:
The key update to the Privacy Statement explains how we will share information with merchants to personalize your shopping experience and recommend our services to you. Personal information we disclose includes, for example, products, preferences, sizes, and styles we think you’ll like. Information gathered about you after the effective date of our updated Privacy Statement, November 27, 2024, will be shared with participating stores where you shop …
Yes you read that right: Paypal will begin selling your purchase history and information to 3rd parties. If I had a facepalm emoji …
And, this is yet another case of being opted in by default meaning that if you don’t read and understand the Privacy Statement update (which most people don’t even bother to read due to its complexity), you’re * out of luck.
Privacy be damned!
Paypal’s email relating to the change:
- does not include ANY details about the change
- indicates “There is no action needed from you today, but if you would like to learn more, you can find details about these changes, when they apply and what you can do if you want to decline the changes”
- refers you to their policy update page
“No action needed …”
In typical fashion, companies are making the changes upfront and then asking for permission and forgiveness after the fact.
So how do you go about controlling this change?
For anyone who uses PayPal, after logging in, go to “Settings” which is a
gear icon in the upper right if you’re using a web browser. Under “Data & Privacy” you’ll find the section “Manage shared info” and within that section you’ll see “Personalized Shopping”.
This is a new section that Paypal users will not have seen before. Note as well that any jurisdictions or locations that enforce privacy regulations (like the EU with GDPR, and US/California), will not have this option.
Next?
AI has stirred up a lot of discussions around privacy because of its vast data-processing capabilities, and addressing these privacy concerns involves both technical and policy-related approaches.
Various governments, companies and groups are discussing these issues and putting frameworks together to manage the issue. Whether this will help those whose privacy has already been hoovered up in retrospect is still to be determined.
One thing is known for sure though: AI’s can’t unlearn information.
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