The deployment of the Meta AI assistant across all Meta platforms: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads is gradual but consistent, often without clear warnings or the possibility of a global opt-out. A massive deployment that, according to Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, raises serious questions about transparency and user data protection.

A UX Designed to Favor Engagement Over Transparency

According to Warmenhoven, Meta designs its AI to be perceived as intuitive, natural, and useful. However, this apparent simplicity hides a design oriented towards maximizing user engagement at the cost of diminished transparency. The lack of clear tags to identify interactions with AI, the passive collection of behavioral data, and the difficulty in refusing AI use raise profound questions.
The expert warns of a "forced adoption," where users may share data with AI without fully realizing it. He states:
"What seems transparent and useful on the surface hides an uncomfortable truth. Meta prioritizes convenience over transparency, facilitating data sharing without revealing its real cost."

Psychological Design and Ethical Responsibility

The design of the platforms plays a crucial role here. Users sometimes interact with AI without being aware, this ambiguity makes it difficult to exercise an informed choice.

"Meta's use of design psychology raises concerns about the ethics of AI deployment. By integrating AI into regular app interactions without clear visual cues or warnings, users may engage in interactions they did not foresee, often without realizing it."


adding:

"People believe they are chatting with a human or just using the platform normally. But in the background, Meta's AI is learning from them and storing what it learns."

Specific Risks Depending on the Platform

Concerns are not uniform: each Meta platform presents specific vulnerabilities, as illustrated in this table shared by NordVPN.
 
Platform
Privacy Risks
Key Points
WhatsApp
🔴 Severe
- Partial consent in group chats- No global opt-out- AI bypasses end-to-end encryption.
"Even if you don't use AI, your metadata could be integrated without your consent."
🔴 Severe
- No clear opt-out- AI tools blend into the interface- Passive collection of behavioral data.
"You interact with AI before even realizing it, and it's intentional."
Instagram
🟠 High
- Implicit engagement- No dedicated AI settings- Enhanced engagement signals and behavioral data.
"Your feed activity becomes training data, whether you accept it or not."
Messenger
🟡 Moderate
- No clear separation between AI/human chats- No encryption for AI discussions- Obscure disclosures
"Two seemingly identical conversations can have completely different privacy implications."
Threads
🟡 Moderate
- Implicit and region-specific consent- No opt-out- Background AI engagement analysis.
"Even if you ignore AI, it continues to watch and shape your experience."

 

What Governance for Responsible Deployment?
Warmenhoven advocates for universal opt-in/opt-out features, accompanied by clear and consistent communication on data usage:

"For responsible AI deployment, universal opt-in and opt-out functions are needed. A setting that allows people to enable and disable AI features across all Meta platforms. If not an opt-in option, at least a clear explanation from the start on how data will be used."

The expert concludes:

"AI can certainly coexist with privacy. But only if companies like Meta prioritize transparency, consent, and security. Without this, trust disappears and with it, the long-term value of AI."

 

Translated from Meta AI : une intégration opaque qui menace la vie privée, selon un expert en cybersécurité de NordVPN

To better understand

What are the legal obligations regarding user consent for digital companies like Meta in Europe?

In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires digital companies to obtain informed and explicit consent from users before collecting or using their personal data. This means users must be clearly and understandably informed about the nature of the data collected and the purpose of its collection, and must be provided with an easy way to refuse or withdraw their consent.

How has the evolution of data privacy policies influenced the practices of major tech companies like Meta?

The evolution of data privacy policies, especially after the adoption of the GDPR in Europe, has compelled major tech companies to adopt more transparent practices regarding the management of user data. Similar regulations in other regions have driven these companies to implement global compliance measures. However, some companies continue to test the limits of these regulations, often seeking to maximize the commercial exploitation of data while minimizing user awareness of its use.