Khaberni - Starlink customers have become the latest data source used in training artificial intelligence models, as the company has updated its privacy policy to allow the collection of user data, enabling this feature automatically with an option for users to unsubscribe.
Starlink mentioned in its privacy policy that it may use users' personal information "to train its own machine learning or artificial intelligence models".
It also stated that this data might be shared with third parties "for training artificial intelligence models, including for their independent purposes".
William Bodington, a tech expert at the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation concerned with digital rights, stated to CNET that this approach is part of a "full push" towards a data-based machine learning network, hoping something better comes out of it, "regardless of the users' private information".
The privacy policy clarifies that the data collected by Starlink includes contact information, performance metrics, and billing details, which are typical data collected by Internet service providers.
The company also points to the possibility of collecting "contact information, such as auditory, electronic, or visual information", in addition to "inferences that may be drawn from other personal information collected".
The company assures that users' internet history will never be shared with artificial intelligence models, including individual browsing habits or geographical location tracking."
According to standard tech practices, data traffic on most websites is encrypted using HTTPS protocol, meaning Starlink necessarily cannot access the content of emails or personal communications to train artificial intelligence.
However, the sites visited by the user and the timing of these visits are of great importance to companies developing artificial intelligence models, which may harm individuals.
Bodington said, "There are a number of risks, including the risk of immediate engineering in generative artificial intelligence models, which may enable these models to reproduce the original data entered into training".
For users who do not want their data used for training artificial intelligence models, Starlink provides the option to unsubscribe via the app or website, by logging into the account, going to the account portal, then to the privacy preferences section, and deselecting the option that allows using data for artificial intelligence training purposes, after which a notice will appear confirming that the data will not be used for this purpose.
