EyeEm, a popular photo-sharing platform, has established a policy requiring user consent for their photos to be used as training material for artificial intelligence (AI) by default. Users must actively delete their photos from the platform to prevent them from being used to train AI systems, as per the terms and conditions of the service.
The business of selling photos for AI datasets has burgeoned, and the Berlin-based EyeEm is eager to engage in this market. The fine print of the company’s terms and conditions reveals a clear intention to utilize uploaded images for machine learning purposes. The policy is straightforward: by adding images to the EyeEm community, the user consents to this use.
An explicit opt-out mechanism or revocation has not been provided for in EyeEm’s terms, leaving deletion as the only apparent alternative according to reports from TechCrunch. However, even the process of deletion is not without its complications. Despite the ability for users to remove their own images from the platform, delays can occur if those images have been featured in EyeEm’s magazine or on social media channels, requiring up to six months to complete the process. This is only guaranteed through direct communication via email.
This practice poses challenges for professional stock photographers who rely on licensing sales for income, with EyeEm also serving as a stock photo database. To maintain their livelihood and ownership over how their photos are used, photographers may have to forgo potential sales by deleting their images.
EyeEm, established in 2011, gained notoriety with the endorsement of investor Peter Thiel through Valar Ventures, often being dubbed as the European Instagram. With a community focused around photo sharing, EyeEm could harness image recognition tech now synonymous with AI. The company declared bankruptcy in 2023 and was acquired by FreePik, a leader in the stock photo market actively courting AI-provider partnerships.
Important Questions and Answers:
1. What changes has EyeEm made to its photo licensing policy?
EyeEm has implemented a policy that requires users’ consent by default for their photos to be used as training material for AI. If users do not wish for their photos to be used, they must delete them from the platform.
2. Why is EyeEm’s new policy a concern for stock photographers?
Professional stock photographers may be affected because the policy could impact their control over their work and income from licensing sales. They now face the decision to potentially lose sales or keep their images on the platform for wider exposure and risk having them used to train AI without additional compensation.
3. How are users able to opt out of this policy?
Currently, the only way to opt out is to delete the photos from the platform. EyeEm does not provide an explicit opt-out mechanism or revocation in its terms and conditions.
Key Challenges and Controversies:
Privacy and Consent: The use of images for AI training without explicit, informed consent violates individual privacy and copyright norms. Users may not fully understand how their photos will be used or the implications of the default opt-in policy.
Lack of Transparency: The terms and conditions make the policy apparent, but lack transparency about the process and use of the images after deletion, as well as the implications for photos already used in training datasets.
Intellectual Property Rights: Photographers and content creators may lose control over the distribution and usage of their intellectual property, potentially devaluing their work and affecting their earnings from licensing fees.
Advantages:
– EyeEm’s approach can create extensive datasets for AI training, potentially improving machine learning models and driving advancements in technology.
– It offers a passive revenue stream for EyeEm, aligning its business model with the burgeoning AI market.
Disadvantages:
– The risk of alienating photographers and content creators, leading to reduced contributions and community engagement.
– Potential legal and ethical repercussions if users feel their rights have been violated, which could damage the company’s reputation.
For official information about the company and its policies, you can visit the EyeEm website at EyeEm. Moreover, to learn more about the current state of the company after its acquisition, one may look into FreePik’s platform at FreePik, which is now its parent company.
The source of the article is from the blog macholevante.com