Meta adds AI chatbot to WhatsApp, sparking privacy concerns

Meta’s push to integrate its AI chatbot into WhatsApp has sparked user backlash as the feature cannot be disabled or removed. This controversy highlights growing tensions around AI integration in messaging platforms, particularly concerning user consent and data privacy. Meta’s handling of this situation reflects broader challenges tech companies face when balancing AI innovation with user autonomy and trust.

The big picture: WhatsApp has begun rolling out a non-removable Meta AI chatbot feature that appears either as a logo in the chats screen or as a prompt in the search bar, triggering significant user frustration.

• Users across various platforms have expressed anger about the inability to disable or remove the AI feature, with many viewing it as an unwanted intrusion into their messaging experience.
• Guardian columnist Polly Hudson compared the situation to Apple’s controversial 2014 U2 album rollout, noting that “at least it was possible to delete that free U2 album” while Meta AI cannot be removed.

Privacy concerns: Despite WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption, users worry that Meta intends to use private conversations to train its AI model through the chat-sharing feature.

• The feature allows chat participants to share conversations with the AI bot, raising questions about consent when not all participants have agreed to such sharing.
• These concerns are amplified by Meta’s already controversial AI training practices, including scraping public Facebook and Instagram posts dating back to 2007 and using pirated ebooks from torrent sites.

Meta’s response: The company told BBC News it is “listening to feedback” while defending the feature as “entirely optional” despite its permanent presence in the app.

• WhatsApp maintains that Meta AI cannot read messages unless explicitly granted access by chat participants who choose to share content with the bot.
• The company noted that the feature is currently available only in select countries and that availability varies even within those regions.

Why this matters: This rollout represents another flashpoint in the ongoing tension between tech companies implementing AI features and users concerned about control over their digital experiences and data.

• The backlash demonstrates growing user resistance to having AI features integrated into communication platforms without clear consent mechanisms or opt-out capabilities.
• As AI becomes more prevalent in messaging apps, companies face increasing pressure to balance innovation with transparency and user autonomy.