German Court Rules in Favor of Meta’s AI Training Using Public Data

On May 23, 2025, the Higher Regional Court of Cologne dismissed an emergency injunction filed by German consumer protection groups, allowing Meta to continue its AI training initiative, which began on May 27, 2025. The decision is a notable development in Europe’s ongoing discussion about balancing AI innovation with data privacy, particularly regarding the use of publicly available information.

Meta defended its approach by stating that it adheres to EU regulations, using only publicly accessible data while offering users clear opt-out options or the ability to privatize their profiles by May 26, 2025. The court ruled that these measures sufficiently address privacy concerns and found no feasible alternative that would be less intrusive, especially since such public data is already accessible through search engines. While Meta’s AI training plans had previously received conditional approval from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), the case highlights gaps in regulatory oversight. The ruling may serve as a precedent, prompting other companies to adopt similar practices while increasing calls for AI-specific regulatory frameworks across the EU.