In a recent investigation, Facebook admitted that the company is collecting public data from all Australian adults on its platform. Unlike in the European Union, Australians are not provided with an opt-out option because privacy laws do not require it.
When questioned, Meta's global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh, initially denied the claims but later acknowledged them. She stated that Meta collects photos and text from all public posts unless users have consciously set their posts to private since 2007.
Claybaugh added that accounts of individuals under 18 are not being collected. However, when Senator Sheldon inquired whether publicly posted photos of his own children would be collected, Claybaugh confirmed that they would be.
Facebook representatives could not answer whether the company collects data from users who were adults in previous years but were under 18 when they created their accounts.
Unlike Europeans, Australians do not have the option to opt out. In June, Meta notified users in the EU and the US that it would use their data to train its generative AI products unless they opted out.
Senator Hubrecht told ABC that if the government is concerned about the online risks faced by young people, then enacting privacy laws should be a key priority. He argued that the government's failure to act on privacy issues means companies like Meta will continue to profit from children's photos and videos on Facebook.
