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The South African Artificial Intelligence Association (SAAIA) has lodged a formal complaint with the Information Regulator regarding LinkedIn’s use of local user data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models without seeking permission.
The association says LinkedIn’s actions may violate South Africa’s data protection laws, specifically the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia).
According to Nathan-Ross Adams, a member of the SAAIA’s advisory board, the complaint centres on LinkedIn’s collection and use of personal information from South African users.
“Our letter of complaint to the Information Regulator is focused on LinkedIn’s use of South African users’ personal information to train its generative artificial intelligence (AI) models,” Adams said in a statement.
“LinkedIn is using users’ personal data to train its AI models, which raises serious legal concerns,” Adams stated.
“This is more than just a legal issue; it’s about protecting individuals’ rights in a world where data is valuable.”
Popia outlines how organisations should collect and use personal information, and the association believes LinkedIn is not following these rules. They are asking the Information Regulator to investigate the situation.
LinkedIn, a social media platform for professionals, has faced criticism in the past for similar data usage practices. In September, the company temporarily stopped using data from users in the United Kingdom for AI training after concerns were raised by regulators.
LinkedIn stated that it sees user-generated content as a key resource for training its AI systems, including generative AI models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These models require large amounts of data, including text and images, to function effectively.
According to LinkedIn’s privacy policy, if a user has a subscription, the platform can use their data to improve its AI services without needing to ask for explicit permission.
Nick Bradshaw, the founder of the SAAIA, said the association will wait for the Information Regulator’s response before commenting further on the matter.
In March, South Africa introduced its National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework, aimed at promoting responsible growth in AI while prioritising human-centred approaches to ensure AI enhances, rather than replaces, human decision-making.