Facebook is introducing a new AI feature that significantly enhances its ability to access data from users' phones. The feature, called “cloud processing,” is particularly promoted when users create stories. While it appears to be a useful tool for curating the “best moments” from a user’s camera roll, it also grants Facebook ongoing access to the entire photo library on the device, including images that have never been shared or posted.

Upon opting into this feature, Facebook begins to continuously scan and upload users' photos to its servers. The stated objective is to offer AI-generated suggestions such as collages, stylized memories, and recap videos. However, this development raises privacy concerns among experts. The AI technology utilized by Facebook can analyze the content of users' photos, identifying faces, locations, timestamps, objects, and even the people captured in the images. Consequently, personal and sensitive photos stored on users' devices may be processed and retained by Meta.

Although Facebook asserts that the data collected will not be used for targeted advertising, the fine print in Meta's terms indicates otherwise. Any image processed through the cloud processing feature can be analyzed, retained, and utilized for training or enhancing the platform's AI models. This also applies to any metadata and user feedback collected during interactions with the feature, meaning that unposted photos could still contribute to refining Facebook’s algorithms. Privacy advocates view this feature as one of the most intrusive implementations by Meta to date. Unlike platforms such as Apple Photos or Google Photos, which typically process content locally on the user’s device, Meta relies on cloud processing, requiring the upload and external storage of private images. Concerns also loom over the ambiguous policies regarding data retention and future usage.

For users who prefer not to give Facebook such extensive access, there is an option to opt out. Users can decline the prompt when it appears or manually disable the feature in the Facebook app by navigating to Settings > Privacy > Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions and turning off “Cloud Processing.” Additionally, users can control access at the device level through their phone’s privacy settings.