Snapchat Faces Enforcement Notice for AI Privacy Breach
Snapchat, the popular social platform, has been issued with a preliminary enforcement notice by the British Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) due to concerns over a potential privacy breach involving its artificial intelligence (AI) bot, My AI. This enforcement notice suggests that Snapchat may have failed to adequately assess the privacy risks associated with its generative chatbot, which is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
My AI is the first generative AI available on a major messaging platform in the UK. However, the ICO found that Snap’s risk assessment before launching My AI did not adequately address the data protection risks, particularly for children. As a result, the enforcement notice could potentially require Snap to cease processing data related to My AI.
British Information Commissioner John Edwards expressed concern over Snap’s failure to identify and assess privacy risks before the launch of My AI. However, Snapchat has stated that it conducted a thorough legal and privacy review process prior to the release of My AI. They argue that My AI has additional safety features and controls specific to Snapchat and takes into account the age of users during conversations.
To address concerns regarding child safety, Snap’s Family Center allows parents to monitor their children’s interactions with My AI. The blog post from Snapchat also reassured users that all content shared with My AI is stored until it is deleted.
The ICO’s enforcement notice serves as a reminder to organizations to consider both the benefits and risks associated with AI technology. The ICO previously issued a reminder in June urging companies using generative AI to uphold data protection obligations.
While the current enforcement notice does not confirm a breach of data protection law, it indicates the ICO’s intention to protect UK consumers’ privacy rights. Snapchat has stated that it is reviewing the provisional decision and is committed to protecting user privacy. They pledge to work closely with the ICO to ensure compliance with risk assessment procedures.
The European Commission was contacted for comment on whether a similar notice could be issued in the EU, but no response was received at the time of publication.
In summary, Snapchat’s AI chatbot, My AI, has faced scrutiny from the ICO regarding potential privacy breaches. The preliminary enforcement notice requires Snapchat to address the privacy risks associated with the AI technology. The case serves as a reminder to organizations to consider data protection in the development and deployment of AI systems. Snapchat is committed to cooperating with the ICO and protecting the privacy of its users.
