Meta vs. Voyager Labs.
The Case
Meta Platforms, has initiated legal action against Voyager Labs, a company that promotes itself as “a world leader in advanced AI-based investigation solutions.” The core of the dispute revolves around allegations that Voyager Labs created tens of thousands of fake Facebook accounts to scrape user data, subsequently offering surveillance services to its clientele. Voyager Labs' services involve analysing vast amounts of social media posts to make assertions about individuals, including for law enforcement purposes, such as offering predictions of which individuals might commit crimes in the future.
Key Issues
Violation of Terms of Service: Meta claims that Voyager Labs breached its terms of service, namely that that Voyager Labs established over 38,000 counterfeit Facebook user accounts. Using its surveillance software, Voyager Labs allegedly extracted data from Facebook and Instagram without proper authorisation. The company also reportedly gathered data from other platforms, including Twitter, YouTube, and Telegram.
Unauthorised Data Scraping: Voyager Labs is accused of using fake accounts to extract information from over 600,000 Facebook users. In response, Meta reportedly disabled more than 60,000 Voyager Labs-associated Facebook and Instagram accounts and pages in response.
Compensation and Bans: Meta is seeking a court injunction to prevent Voyager Labs from accessing Facebook, Instagram, and any related services. Additionally, Meta is demanding compensation for what it describes as “ill-gotten profits,” asserting that Voyager Labs unjustly profited at Meta’s expense.
Bias: Companies like Voyager Labs claim the ability to forecast future criminal activities based on an individual’s past behaviours and online activities. However, these systems have concerns about their efficacy in terms of creating inconsistent and racially biassed outcomes .
Accountability and Oversight: The case raises questions about the oversight and accountability mechanisms in place for companies that employ AI to gather and analyse vast amounts of data. With the increasing integration of AI in various sectors, ensuring that these technologies are used ethically and responsibly becomes paramount.