Navigating Your Data Privacy in the Age of AI

Welcome to Opt Out, your go-to guide for taking control of your online privacy in a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence (AI). If you’re eager to jump straight into protecting your data on specific platforms, feel free to skip ahead using the “Jump to” menu above.

The Growing Thirst for Data

In a fierce race to innovate, tech companies are more data-hungry than ever. From upgrading search engines powered by AI to creating smarter email composers and interactive chatbots, businesses are scraping content from our online activities—including posts and personal information—to train their systems. As these technologies demand colossal amounts of text and images, many users find themselves unknowingly opted in to share their data.

Recently, a viral Instagram chain letter encouraged over 300,000 users to declare they don’t permit Meta (Instagram’s parent company) to use their personal information. However, despite the viral reach, a mere post won’t prevent Meta from accessing and utilizing your data. Unfortunately, industry practices are becoming increasingly complex. A report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that numerous social media platforms—including WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube—lack transparent ways for users to opt out of having their personal information funneled into automated systems.

The FTC’s findings highlighted a significant lack of access, choice, control, and transparency surrounding how companies manage automated systems, leaving consumers feeling overwhelmed and confused.

Protecting Your Data: Where to Start

While opting out is feasible, you might still be at risk of having your data collected. Many major platforms offer ways to shield your data from AI training—if you know where to look. We’ve done the research to simplify your quest to safeguard your information and offered step-by-step guides for popular platforms.

Gmail

Gmail’s Smart Compose feature, which suggests sentences as you type, leverages your emails and chats across Google services. If you’re concerned about your content being shared or utilized by advertisers, you can opt out easily.

Desktop Instructions:

1. Click the gear icon for settings at the top right of your inbox.
2. Select “See All Settings.”
3. Navigate to “Smart Features and Personalization” in the options provided.
4. Uncheck the box next to “Turn on smart features and personalization.”

iPhone Instructions:

1. Open the Gmail app and tap the three lines beside the search bar.
2. Scroll to Settings and select it.
3. Navigate to Data Privacy and toggle off smart features and personalization.

Google Docs

After opting out of Gmail’s data usage, you can take similar steps to protect your documents in Google Docs. New documents will have predictive text enabled by default.

1. Open a new Google Doc.
2. Click on Tools in the top menu.
3. Scroll down to Preferences and disable Smart Compose and Smart Reply.

LinkedIn

In a recent move, LinkedIn automatically opted users into allowing their data to train its generative AI. If you’d rather keep your information private, you can easily opt out.

1. On your profile, click your profile picture.
2. Navigate to Settings and then Data Privacy.
3. In the section titled “How LinkedIn Uses Your Data,” toggle off the option for “Data for generative AI improvement.”

Meta (Instagram and Facebook)

People in the U.S. face a convoluted process when trying to opt out of data use for AI on Meta platforms. You can request deletion of your personal information via a complex form that requires navigating multiple menus. The hierarchy of steps is tedious, and even then, merely submitting the request doesn’t ensure compliance from the company.

X (formerly Twitter)

In contrast, opting out on X is more straightforward. Follow these steps:

Desktop:

1. On the left side of your feed, click on More at the bottom.
2. Select Settings and Privacy > Privacy and Safety.
3. Find “Grok” under “Data Sharing and Personalization” and uncheck it.

Mobile:

1. Tap your profile icon and select Settings and Support.
2. Head to Privacy and Safety and toggle off the option for “Grok.”

Snapchat

Snapchat previews a new chatbot called My AI, which utilizes your shared information. Control your data by adjusting location and app permissions.

On iOS:

1. Go to your phone settings and locate Snapchat.
2. Disable location access.
3. Open Snapchat, click your profile, and navigate to “Privacy Controls” to clear My AI data.

On Android:

1. Long-press the Snapchat app and access “App Info.”
2. Choose “Permissions” and disable location.
3. As above, open the app to clear AI data via the settings.

Final Thoughts

Taking control of your online privacy amidst the AI boom is crucial. Ensure you’re aware of the opt-out options available on the platforms you use regularly and don’t hesitate to voice your concerns regarding data privacy.

As we navigate this complex landscape together, numerous platforms still collect our data by default, putting the onus on individuals to actively opt out and safeguard their privacy.

The AI Buzz Hub team is excited to see where these breakthroughs take us. Want to stay in the loop on all things AI? Subscribe to our newsletter or share this article with your fellow enthusiasts.