EyeEm’s Controversial Decision: Licensing User Photos for AI Training
From Photo-Sharing Community to AI Data Provider
EyeEm, the once-thriving Berlin-based photo-sharing platform that found a new home with Spanish company Freepik after facing bankruptcy, has made a surprising move. The company recently informed its users via email about an addition to its Terms & Conditions, granting EyeEm the rights to use their uploaded content for training, developing, and improving AI models. Users were given a mere 30 days to opt out by removing all their content from the platform, or else they would be consenting to this new use case for their work.
The Rise and Fall of EyeEm
At the time of its acquisition by Freepik in 2023, EyeEm boasted an impressive library of 160 million images and nearly 150,000 users. The company had plans to merge its community with Freepik’s over time. However, before the acquisition, EyeEm had experienced a significant decline, going from being considered a potential rival to Instagram or “Europe’s Instagram” to operating with a staff of only three.
Exploring AI Integration for Creators
Joaquin Cuenca Abela, CEO of Freepik, hinted at the company’s possible plans for EyeEm, mentioning that they would explore ways to bring more AI into the equation for creators on the platform. As it turns out, this meant selling users’ work to train AI models.
Updated Terms & Conditions: A Closer Look
EyeEm’s updated Terms & Conditions now include a section that grants the company the right to use user-uploaded content for training, developing, and improving AI models. Users who disagree with this change are advised not to add their content to the EyeEm Community.
The Complicated Process of Content Deletion
For users who wish to remove their content from EyeEm, the process is far from straightforward. Deleting photos directly from the platform does not impact content previously shared to EyeEm Magazine or social media. To remove content from the EyeEm Market or other content platforms, users must submit a request to [email protected], providing the Content ID numbers for the photos they want to delete and specifying whether the content should be removed from their account or just the EyeEm Market. Shockingly, these deletions can take up to 180 days to process, while users only have 30 days to opt out.
The Catch: Forfeiting Payouts and Ongoing Licensing
EyeEm’s notice also states that users who delete their accounts will forfeit their right to any payouts for their work. Furthermore, the company clarifies that the authorization for EyeEm to market and license user content will remain valid until the content is deleted from EyeEm and all partner platforms, which can take up to 180 days. All license agreements entered into before the complete deletion remain unaffected by the request for deletion or the deletion itself.
The Backlash and the Move to Open Social Web
EyeEm’s decision has upset many photographers who feel that the 30-day notice and the lack of options for bulk deletion make it difficult to opt out. Some users have expressed their frustration on social media platforms like Twitter.
In response to such incidents, users are considering a move to the open social web. Federated platforms like Pixelfed, which runs on the same ActivityPub protocol as Mastodon, are capitalizing on the EyeEm situation to attract users. Pixelfed has announced that they will never use user images to help train AI models, emphasizing their commitment to privacy and user control.
We will never use your images to help train AI models. Privacy First, Pixels Forever.
EyeEm’s move serves as an example of how AI models are being trained using users’ content, sometimes without their explicit consent. While the company did offer an opt-out procedure, the short notice period and the complicated deletion process have left many photographers feeling betrayed and seeking alternatives that prioritize user privacy and control over their creative work.
1 Comment
EyeEm’s new policy sure stirs the pot, doesn’t it? Who knew your snapshots could fuel the future of AI!