Privacy News Facebook's New AI Tool Asks to Upload Your Photos for Story Ideas, Sparking Privacy Concerns

[Parkinsond]

Content source

https://thehackernews.com/2025/06/facebooks-new-ai-tool-requests-photo.html

Facebook, the social network platform owned by Meta, is asking for users to upload pictures from their phones to suggest collages, recaps, and other ideas using artificial intelligence (AI), including those that have not been directly uploaded to the service.

According to TechCrunch, which first reported the feature, users are being served a new pop-up message asking for permission to "allow cloud processing" when they are attempting to create a new Story on Facebook.

"To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location or themes," the company notes in the pop-up. "Only you can see suggestions. Your media won't be used for ads targeting. We'll check it for safety and integrity purposes."

Should users consent to their photos being processed on the cloud, Meta also states that they are agreeing to its AI terms, which allow it to analyze their media and facial features.

Meta says its new AI feature won't be used for targeted ads, but experts still have concerns. When people upload personal photos or videos—even if they agree to it—it's unclear how long that data is kept or who can see it. Since the processing happens in the cloud, there are risks, especially with things like facial recognition and hidden details such as time or location.

 

[Marko :)]

The only Meta app I have installed on my phone is WhatsApp and only because it's necessary to survive here in Croatia. I don't know a single person that doesn't have it and we text on daily basis using WhatsApp only. It de facto completely replaced SMS/MMS/RCS. Even at my workplace, WhatsApp is used for communication with our superiors.

Facebook, Instagram and any other Meta app get immediately uninstalled when setting up new device.

 

[Parkinsond]

The only Meta app I have installed on my phone is WhatsApp and only because it's necessary to survive here in Croatia. I don't know a single person that doesn't have it and we text on daily basis using WhatsApp only. It de facto completely replaced SMS/MMS/RCS. Even at my workplace, WhatsApp is used for communication with our superiors.

Facebook, Instagram and any other Meta app get immediately uninstalled when setting up new device.

Even Whatsapp will not stay intact, Meta has plans to ruin it; plan-A is pushing ads.

 

[Marko :)]

Even Whatsapp will not stay intact, Meta has plans to ruin it; plan-A is pushing ads.

I don't like ads, but I also understand in order to survive on long term, companies need a source of income. Currently. WhatsApp doesn't earn Meta any money, and they finance it with income generated from other Meta services. Honestly, I'm surprised they managed to hold WhatsApp ad-free for so long, considering they constantly add new features which use server resources, which cost money.

It's planned that in the EU, ads are coming somewhere in 2026 once they clear everything with EU. And as long as the ads are well integrated (like the ones in Google services, like Play Store, Maps and such), I don't mind them. But the moment they start being obnoxious like on websites and YouTube, I'll find a way to block them.

 

[Parkinsond]

I don't like ads, but I also understand in order to survive on long term, companies need a source of income. Currently. WhatsApp doesn't earn Meta any money, and they finance it with income generated from other Meta services. Honestly, I'm surprised they managed to hold WhatsApp ad-free for so long, considering they constantly add new features which use server resources, which cost money.

It's planned that in the EU, ads are coming somewhere in 2026 once they clear everything with EU. And as long as the ads are well integrated (like the ones in Google services, like Play Store, Maps and such), I don't mind them. But the moment they start being obnoxious like on websites and YouTube, I'll find a way to block them.

Unfortunately, blocking ads coming from inside the platform is much harder that 3rd party ads; even uBlock origin lite on complete mode cannot block those of FB.

 

[Marko :)]

Unfortunately, blocking ads coming from inside the platform is much harder that 3rd party ads; even uBlock origin lite on complete mode cannot block those of FB.

Yes, you can't block ads in some apps. But for these apps, you can always use 3rd party app which doesn't come with ads. 3rd party Facebook and Instagram clients without ads are thing for a very long time. You can also patch the app through ReVanced to get that ad-free experience.

If I remember correctly, they plan to ad ads on status and channel features. I'm not using neither of them so I shouldn't see any ads whatsoever.

 

[Sorrento]

@Marko - I agree 100%

 

[Parkinsond]

3rd party Facebook and Instagram clients without ads

Is it safe to use?

 

[Marko :)]

Is it safe to use?

I can't guarantee, because I don't use Facebook and Instagram. You always have option to use ReVanced though, and create your own Instagram ad-free app by patching the original Instagram APK file. You should also be able to do so with Facebook APK as well.

These are available patches for Facebook, Messenger and Instagram:

 

[Parkinsond]

I can't guarantee, because I don't use Facebook and Instagram. You always have option to use ReVanced though, and create your own Instagram ad-free app by patching the original Instagram APK file. You should also be able to do so with Facebook APK as well.

These are available patches for Facebook, Messenger and Instagram:

View attachment 289335
View attachment 289333
View attachment 289334

I almost do not use internet on my phone; on PC, I use X and FB only; X is okay regarding ads; I think there is no workaround for FB on PC compared to phone.

 

[Marko :)]

I think there is no workaround for FB on PC compared to phone.

uBlock Origin (not Lite) on Firefox completely blocks all ads on Facebook, Instagram and X.

 

[Parkinsond]

uBlock Origin (not Lite) on Firefox completely blocks all ads on Facebook, Instagram and X.

But it will be deprecated, sooner or later.

 

[Marko :)]

But it will be deprecated, sooner or later.

Firefox is keeping MV2 API and had no plans on abandoning it. Even if they do at some point, they said they'll work with extension developers to keep them fully functional.

 

[Brownie2019]

Bitdefender News about Facebook:

Facebook Wants Access to Your Camera Roll for AI Tricks

Facebook is asking users for unfettered access to the phone’s camera roll so it can offer “creative ideas” built with Meta AI.

www.bitdefender.com

 

[Parkinsond]

Bitdefender News about Facebook:

Facebook Wants Access to Your Camera Roll for AI Tricks

Facebook is asking users for unfettered access to the phone’s camera roll so it can offer “creative ideas” built with Meta AI.

www.bitdefender.com

Good luck for meta accessing my 13 years old, camera-less PC