Meta's AI Training Controversy: Zuckerberg Approved Use of Pirated Content
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is at the center of a copyright lawsuit following allegations of using pirated content to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The lawsuit, filed by various complainants including bestselling authors, accuses Meta of leveraging pirated e-books and articles to train its Llama AI models, thus violating copyright laws. The controversy also involves Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, who allegedly approved the use of a sketchy link aggregator to access copyrighted materials.
Allegations and Legal Proceedings
The accusation against Meta stems from documents filed with the US District Court for the Northern District of California, where it was revealed that Meta utilized a dataset called LibGen, short for Library Genesis, to train its AI models. LibGen is a file-sharing platform notorious for providing access to copyrighted works that are typically behind paywalls or not digitized. The platform has a history of legal issues and has faced previous shutdown orders.
The filings suggest that Meta knowingly used the pirated content from LibGen, with allegations of stripping copyright information from the dataset to conceal the infringement. Furthermore, individuals within Meta, including research engineers, were involved in removing copyright data and ensuring that the AI output did not reveal incriminating information regarding the source of training data.
Meta's Controversial Practices
In addition to accessing the LibGen dataset, Meta reportedly engaged in torrenting the content, a process that involves both downloading and uploading copyrighted materials. The plaintiffs argue that by torrenting LibGen, Meta contributed to the distribution of pirated works, further exacerbating the copyright infringement claims against the tech giant.
New Revelations and Legal Proceedings
Recently unredacted court documents shed light on internal exchanges within Meta, revealing discussions about the use of LibGen data for AI training purposes. The documents also indicate that Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, were aware of and approved the utilization of the pirated dataset. This revelation has added fuel to the ongoing legal dispute between Meta and the plaintiffs.
